Wales has pioneered the legislation of play since, as part of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010, a statutory duty was placed on all Local Authorities to assess the level of play opportunities within their area every 3 years from 2012, with the duty to secure these opportunities commencing in 2014.
The Welsh Government was the first government in the world to protect in law children’s right to play. Children’s right to play is enshrined in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the most universally recognised human rights treaty, which was formally adopted by the Welsh Government in 2004.
RCTCBC recognises the intrinsic value of play in children’s lives; our vision is that all children and young people should be able to: have fun; enjoy their childhood and youth; pursue learning; and develop life skills through participating in a range of high-quality play, leisure, sporting and cultural opportunities, thus ensuring we meet the interests and needs of each individual child or young person
The PSA was compiled over a period of 9 months which involved a comprehensive assessment of play sufficiency criteria, partnership working with several RCTCBC services and consultation with RCT residents. This included:
- 681 children and young people who completed the ‘Big Play Survey’
- 5 focus groups with Primary Schools Councils
- 3 focus groups in youth clubs
- 1 focus group with young carers
- 40 Parents / Carers via a survey
- 4 Focus groups with Parents/Carers of children with additional needs
- Third Sector open access Play Providers
- 53 School Senior Leaders via a survey
The findings of the PSA have informed the action plan for 2025-28 which ensures that work undertaken addresses the identified gaps in opportunities for play across RCT. The key priorities moving forward are:
- Increase the number of Welsh language play opportunities across Youth, Play, Leisure and Arts and Culture
- Increase the number and quality of play and recreational opportunities for disabled children and young people
- Improve the inclusivity and accessibility of fixed play areas
- Utilise data tools such as Power BI to ensure provision is needs led and decisions are evidence based
- Embed a Quality Assurance Scheme to enhance the quality and consistency of open access play provision
- Promote and celebrate the benefits and importance of play to communities, children, young people and all stakeholders
- Engage with Education to advocate for the opening of school grounds for opportunities to play beyond the school day
- Enrichment of active travel schemes through the implementation of artwork and opportunities for play
- Alleviate concerns regarding traffic as a major barrier to playing outside by offering more road safety sessions to children and young people