What is it about?
A history and argument for the re introduction of universal services which promote community cohesion and provides the antidote to a growing culture of disconnection between the people and the state.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
In an age where tolerance and empathy are in short supply it is becoming evident that communities are being starved of valuable and supportive services which are seen as non essential. Universal provision has always provided a release valve within communities, and open access playschemes in particular have provided a valuable meeting point for communities to stay connected, particularly significant during economic downturns. Universal schemes provide not only a lifeline of support but a real cost saving , where the present thinking is allowing communities to come to a point of crisis before an intervention is initiated, far to late and at great expense to the state.
Perspectives
I believe that children will always find a way to play, after all they are biologically hard wired to do so. In this article I have tried to illustrate that we need to look to the past before we plot the future. It seems obvious but in the fragile world of children's play, evidence of what has worked that can effect change is in short supply. I want for people reading this article to take forward the argument for children's free play opportunities to be key to the success of a well adjusted society and that it has its rightful place along side strategic government policies. We were all children once and we all remember growing up, but we choose to forget this valuable learning and development because it reminds us of our vulnerability. If we truly want to support children and communities, we have to accept that there are no spreadsheets that can measure a smile on a child's face and we need to take risks with no guarantees of any return , particularly with our children's happiness.
Mr Ross William Podyma
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The efficiency of playwork as a universal service, Journal of Playwork Practice, November 2015, Policy Press,
DOI: 10.1332/205316215x14454235274662.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
