Many of us have an important role to play in creating more child-friendly public spaces.

This is partly because children play wherever they are. It could be in a specially created play area, at school, inside a park, in a local field or wood, or simply on the street.

Recognising this, Play Shaper professional development seminars bring together senior managers, managers and professionals working for, and with local authorities.

These include:

  • planners
  • developers
  • landscape architects and designers
  • highways and transport planners and engineers
  • health professionals
  • regeneration teams
  • schools
  • housing providers
  • police
  • parks and leisure providers
  • community engagement teams
  • voluntary and community sector organisations

Local authorities have an obligation to produce a Children and Young People’s Plan for their area, including planning for high quality play opportunities near where children live and spend their time.

Primary Care Trusts are responsible for working strategically with partners to improve the health of all the community, including children; and the police lead on creating safer neighbourhoods for all.

To make these plans a reality, we need an inter-departmental and inter-agency approach.

By prioritising play, many of the national indicators that local authorities are working towards can be addressed. These include: increasing opportunities for children, reducing accidents, increasing community satisfaction rates, and improving health outcomes.

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Play Shaper online learning

Use the online learning environment after you have participated in a Play Shaper seminar. You can access learning materials, online discussions and an assessment quiz that accredits your continuing professional development.

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