Vale of Glamorgan Council
Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
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Vale Play Team

All children have the right to play. Our role is to ensure that children living in the Vale of Glamorgan have the time, space, and permission to access quality play opportunities.

 

“The right to play is a child’ s first claim on the community. Play is nature’s training for life. No community can infringe that right without doing deep and enduring harm to the minds and bodies of its citizens.” (David Lloyd George, 1925)

 

What is play?

Play is a process that is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. That is, children and young people determine and control the content and intent of their play, by following their own instincts, ideas, and interests, in their own way for their own reasons. (Playwork Principle 2).

Why is play important?

All children and young people need to play. The impulse to play is innate. Play is a biological, psychological and social necessity, and is fundamental to the healthy development and wellbeing of individuals and communities. (Playwork Principle 1).

 

Meet Our Team

Joanne Jones – Senior Play Development Officer

 

Joanne Jones has over 25 years experience within the playwork sector, and has been in post in the Vale for 18 years. Joanne's immense knowledge and experience of play, has shaped the development of play opportunities across the Vale, as well as the playwork sector. Joanne is a qualified Playwork Tutor, Forest School Leader and Beach School Leader. Joanne is a Mental Health First Aider, Outdoor First Aider and Paediatric First Aider. 

 

 

Julia Sky – Community Play Development Officer (currently on maternity leave)

 

Ceri Evans - Play Leader (maternity cover)

 

 

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Casual Play Team

Our team are passionate about giving children and young people opportunities to play and are employed throughout the year to support the development and delivery of play provision across the Vale. All staff receive playwork training, safeguarding training and hold a valid DBS. Our staff team are fully inclusive and have a wealth of knowledge and experience to bring to their playwork role. 

Our Play Van - Driving Play Forward in the Vale

 

After years without our own play vehicle, we are delighted that Welsh Government's All Wales Play Opportunities Grant Capital Funding was able to fund our very own van in 2022! 

Our brightly coloured van and trailer can be seen travelling around the Vale, making us more visible to children, families and communities.

 

 

 

 

Visit our Your Playwork Journey page for information on applying for a position with Vale Play Team:

Your Playwork Journey

 

Play Friendly Communities

Play Rangers

Find out about our community play projects and our inclusive play opportunities including playschemes, play rangers and family activities.

 

Play Friendly Communities

Your Playwork Journey

Start Your Playwork Journey

 

Are you passionate about providing opportunities for children to play? Find out about training, volunteering and careers in playwork!

 

Your Playwork Journey

Resources to Support Play

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Find out about low cost and no cost resources to promote the child’s right to play.

 

Resources to Support Play

Play Friendly Schools

Play Friendly Schools EN

Our Play Friendly Schools initiative is an opportunity for local schools to be supported by Vale Play Team to improve opportunities for children to play.

 

Play Friendly Schools

Prescription for Play

Prescription for Play

 

It is vital to children’s health and wellbeing that they have access to good quality play opportunities. Find out about the health and wellbeing benefits of play!

 

Prescription for Play

Play Sufficiency and Play Policy

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The Vale of Glamorgan Council and their partners want to create a play friendly Vale where children and young people have the time, space and permission to play – promoting positive attitudes towards children playing in their communities.

 

The Welsh Government also want this. They are the first Government in the World to legislate for children’s play. They want to make sure Wales is a place where all children have the best opportunities to play and enjoy their recreation time.

To support this, they have asked every local authority in Wales to look at whether play opportunities in each area are good enough, and create a plan to show how they can improve play opportunities in their area. This is called the Play Sufficiency Assessment (PSA). Below is a link to the Executive Summary report following the completion of the 2022 Play Sufficiency Assessment to let you know what we found out and what our priorities are for the next few years.

 

 

Play Sufficiency and Play Policy