Information for local authorities and voluntary
sector
Play Shaper: Engaging Communities in Play is a
professional development programme to help those who plan, design,
build and manage public space understand the importance of
children’s play and their role in enabling it within the public
realm. Play Shaper enables partnership working across local
authorities and communities to create and maintain genuinely
child-friendly public space.
The Play Shaper seminar uses practical exercises, case studies
and group discussions, facilitated by experts in their field. It is
designed to help participants understand:
- the importance of play to children
- their role in creating child-friendly spaces and places, where
play and safe, active travel by children is supported
- how supporting children’s play in their area can help deliver
local priorities, for example increasing physical activity and
developing sustainable communities
- what can be done to encourage children’s play opportunities,
drawing on good practice
- the importance of cross-professional collaboration in creating
child-friendly communities
Each seminar is tailored to the specific requirements of the
priorities and needs of the local area.
Play Shaper emphasises how investing in play can help achieve
the targets and priorities of those working in planning, health and
safety, education, health, regeneration, the voluntary and
community sector, and the police.
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