The Scottish Play Commission
Play Scotland are delighted to announce that we launched the Scottish Play Commission at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 13th December 2007. This was Chaired by Sue Palmer, Author of Toxic Childhood and Detoxing Childhood and launched by Adam Ingram, MSP, Minister for Children and Early Years and Kathleen Marshall, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People. The event was hosted by John Scott, MSP.
The launch was by invitation only and were sent to MSPs and key organisations within the Play Sector in Scotland. 
(Photo: From left to right: Marguerite Hunter Blair, Chief Executive, Play Scotland; Kathleen Marshall; Sue Palmer; Adam Ingram MSP; Margaret Westwood, Chair, Play Scotland; John Scott, MSP)
The Play Commission has been set up to enable us to provide quality key recommendations to the Scottish Government regarding improving children's play opportunities in Scotland and making the Children's Right to Play (UNCRC Article 31) a reality and to support the development of a National Play Strategy for Scotland.
The Play Commission will enable us to gather a wide range of views through our events and the online forum (see below for registration details) and recommendations on the state of Play in Scotland in 2008. A full report and summary of recommendations will be published in May 2008.
"Having the chance to play and interact with others is great fun for children but it also teaches them vital life skills. Learning about relationships and risk is a key part of children's emotional andphysical development and we want to help all of our young people get the best start in life. That's why we're looking at how to best support play and welcome different views on the most effective way forward." - Adam Ingram MSP
The Launch followed the ‘kick start' of the Play Conversations on the State of Play in Scotland on Monday 19th November 2007.
Speakers were: Dr Roger Hart, Co-Director of the Children's Environments Research Group and Professor at the City University of New York, Dr John McKendrick from Glasgow Caledonian University, Sheila Dobie OBE and Andy Dalziell from the Institute for Neuro-Physiological Physiological (Scotland) Ltd.
(left) Dr John McKendrick speaking on 'Beyong the playground towards a play friendly Scotland, towards a progressive Scotland through play'
'Highland Yak!' - 29 February 2008
On 29 February 2008 we held the ‘Highland Yak!' in Inverness. For our guest speakers Tim Gill and Arthur Battram, who thought a Highland Yak was a hairy coo, we explained that in Scotland yak is a euphemism for talk - and the talk about play in Inverness was tremendous! Over sixty delegates from a wide range of backgrounds, including academic, sport, health, childcare and play development gathered in the Highlands to yak about play.
The day opened with an introduction from the Chair of the Scottish Play Commission, Sue Palmer. Sue explained how in the course of her two year research for her book she had looked at 10 possible socio-cultural impacts which could influence the problems experienced in childhood today. She discovered no magic bullet, however by far the biggest sea change had occurred in children's opportunities for free play. In one generation play for many children had become indoors, sedentary, screen-based and solitary. Sue, an educationalist with an interest in literacy, has been converted to a play advocate who realises the importance of raising awareness and alerting politicians to the changes happening in childhood - not just for the benefit of children, but for the future of society.
Tim Gill evoked play memories of wild, exciting and scary times outdoors away from adults, and reminded us why memories are an important message to adults who set policies today - nationally or in small settings. Experiences that children have enjoyed for generations are now seen as sinister and dangerous, either for the child or to society, but Tim reminded us these are about getting the hang of being a human being. He argued that a zero risk tolerance approach to childhood takes society 180 degrees away from what childhood needs to be, and that we need a culture change from a Philosophy of Protection to a Philosophy of Resilience.
Arthur Battram began with the premise that as play is a function of all primates, it is innately essential to human beings. He presented the model that an effective play environment is an environment which operates on the edge of chaos. Arthur illustrated how the complexity of play is a transient, dynamic phenomenon, poised between order and chaos, and that the duty of Playworkers was to support rather than manage. He highlighted that play is not about childcare or education, and urged delegates to challenge the "Elfansafety" culture; to focus on the benefits of play; and to change the focus from problems to solutions. Play is serious, as it is through play we become humans.
We would like to thank all the delegates for attending this event
'Round up' - 27 May 2008
The 'round up' event of the Scottish Play Commission was held on Tuesday 27 May at the Radisson SAS Hotel, Glasgow. Thisgave delegates the final chance to comment on the draft findings beforethey were launched at the Scottish Parliament on 25 June.
This is an extremely important event for anyone with an interest in Play in Scotland.
Speakers: Sue Palmer on 'Toxic Childhood' and Adrian Voce, Play England on the new English Play Strategy.
We would like to thank all the delegates who attended this event.
Launch of the Scottish Play Commission Findings
- 25 June 2008
Play Scotland was delighted to release the Findings of the Scottish Play Commission at the Scottish Parliament on 25 June 2008.
There has never been a better time to reclaim and reinstate the child's right to play in Scotland. Over the past 20 years or so the freedoms and opportunities to play that many of us enjoyed (and endured!) have disappeared as Society has becoming increasingly risk averse and restrictive.
Many parents have severely limited options to consider when encouraging their children to play and are often too scared to let them out. For those who do the choices can be stark and the risks all too real "I would rather my son was out the back with the rats than on waste ground with the needles. It worries me." Gillian/Marie, parents North Glasgow.
Children's play is one of those things that we take for granted. It's only when it starts to disappear that we realise how important it is. Because it's when they're out to play that children develop independence, learn how to make risk assessments and grow in self-confidence and self-esteem. It's where they learn to get along with other children, developing the social skills to be neither bully or victim in the future. It's how they become physically fit and develop the coordination and control that allows them to sit in a classroom. And it's also where they learn, through first hand experience, about the world they live in - the common-sense understanding that underpins the lessons they learn at school.
"Children are born to be free-range creatures- for millennia, outdoor play has helped them grow and learn. But today far too many are being battery-reared indoors, slumped in front of screens, with knock-on effects on their physical and mental health. We need a complete culture change to reverse this trend, and get Scotland's children playing out again." Sue Palmer, Chair of Scottish Play Commission, and author of Toxic Childhood
The Findings led the Scottish Play Commission to recommend to the Scottish government that they:
- Develop a National Play Strategy, 0-18 years, in consultation with children and young people, which will inform local play strategies and address the themes identified in this report
- Create a national play indicator, with minimum actions and standards, national monitoring and resources to support its implementation across all local authorities
- Promote the critical role of Play in child development and raise public awareness of the value of Play
- Build the capacity of communities to support a wide range of Play opportunities and monitor the benefits
- Support the Playwork Profession to develop as a valued workforce
"Making the child's right to play a reality in Scotland is an ambitious task which involves everyone of us. We need a cultural shift in Scotland to value our children and young people, to give them a visible and vibrant childhood and to place them at the heart of child friendly communities" Marguerite Hunter Blair, Chief Executive, Play Scotland.
"It is precisely because play is fun that we need a strategic approach to prevent it from being trivialised and marginalised in a sombre, fearful and target-driven world. Children and young people have a right to play. They also need to play if they are to develop into confident active and healthy social beings. I fully support the findings of the Play Commission and congratulate Play Scotland on this initiative." Kathleen Marshall, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People.
At the launch Minister for Children & Early Years, Adam Ingram MSP welcomed the Findings and confirmed ‘Government proposals for £4 million funding available for Lloyds TSB Foundation's Inspiring Scotland programme to improve play opportunities for children most in need, recognising the importance of physical and social environments on health and wellbeing'. The original announcement was made by Shona Robison MSP, Minister for Public Health at the launch of Tackling Inequalities in Scotland's future.
Marguerite Hunter Blair, Chief Executive, Play Scotland will be meeting with Government officials and representatives from Inspiring Scotland in July.
Further information on this will be announced in due course.
Should you have any queries please let us know.
