Play strategy for the former Wycombe district area 2017 to 2022

Play is a vital part of a child’s life. The need for freedom to play alongside opportunities to play, both within a static play environment and more open creative play environments, are vitally important to a child’s development and wellbeing.

The Wycombe District Council recognises the need for children and young people to have appealing, safe, and local resources that enable them to play and is committed to working towards play environments that not only inspire play and activity but are inclusive for all. This strategy outlines the Wycombe District Council’s plans in relation to play focusing on the next five years (2017 to 2022).

The Wycombe District Council’s first Play Strategy was launched as a 10-year strategy in 2007. Following review, this new Strategy has a refreshed focus and will build on the successes and learning points of the first strategy to enable the council to offer a wide range of opportunities for children and young people to play.

The Wycombe District Council (WDC) recognises the importance of working in partnership and values the support of its partners in enabling the achievement of the objectives set out in the Play Strategy. The WDC has worked and will continue to work with a variety of partners to enable the success of programmes and objectives and acknowledges the contributions that all partners bring.

In particular, some of the key partners that the council work with are local Parish Councils, the former Bucks County Council, voluntary organisations and private organisations.

The Wycombe District Council is a member of and works with:

• Buckinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Board
• Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board
• Buckinghamshire Children and Young Peoples Partnership

This former district strategy has been prepared in conjunction with the Buckinghamshire Children and Young People’s (CYP) Plan 2014 to 2018. From within the CYP Plan, play and its associated provisions are closely aligned with Priorities 3 and 4:

• priority 3 under 3.3 - work with children, young people, and their families to enable them to make healthy life choices
• priority 3 under 3.3 – provide opportunities for children and young people to access physical activities and green/open spaces
• priority 3 under 3.6 – provide recreational and cultural opportunities for children, young people, and families
• priority 4 under 4.1 – promote the benefits of children learning through play

In addition, within the Buckinghamshire Physical Activity Strategy 2014 to 2017, the key message is that:

• we need to start young - we need to encourage infants and children to be active (p3)
• we need to encourage young people to ‘Keep Going’ in teenage or adult years, when life is full and we often have competing interests (p3)

The activity strategy outlines the importance of sport and physical activity, and by ensuring high quality play facilities and suitable outdoor space, the WDC Play Strategy supports the goals of this former county strategy.

The importance of the right to play has been recognised on both a national and international level as vital to enhancing the wellbeing and development of children and young people.

On a national level, the Government’s National Play Strategy (2008) defined play as “children and young people following their own ideas and interests, in their own way and for their own reasons, having fun while respecting themselves and others.”

The independent body, Play England, has a Charter outlining the defining principles for play. The principles which are relevant to the Wycombe District Council’s play strategy include:

• children have the right to play
• every child needs time and space to play
• adults should let children play
• children should be able to play freely in their local areas
• children sometimes need extra support to enjoy their right to play

Internationally, Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child requires the state to “recognise the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child.”