Children's Play
Current Strategy
The Council recognises that play is an essential element of every child's life and is important to the processes of development. It is essential for physical, emotional and spiritual growth, for intellectual and emotional development and for acquiring social and behavioural skills. Communities with good quality, accessible play provision are better and healthier places for families to live in.
To play is not only a right for all children but also an essential aspect of their development, culture and quality of life and their initiation into wider cultural and leisure experiences.
Children are entitled to special consideration in strategic planning because they rely on the advocacy of adults in the social, economic and political spheres. It is the responsibility of adults to ensure that children's views are heard and taken into account. This strategy shows how children's play needs and wishes are to be interpreted and met in this authority.
Children and adults live in the same world and impact on each other both directly and indirectly. This strategy aims to ensure that children's play and free time needs and aspirations are met, as well as and in conjunction with those of adults. It aims to ensure that children and adults are given opportunities, both independently and together, to enjoy a range of play and leisure activities and the physical, emotional, cultural and social benefits they bring.
This strategy will promote access to a rich, varied and inclusive cultural life for adults in Fareham Borough. Children must be given the same opportunities.
The Council provides and maintains equipped play areas on open spaces located throughout the Borough. This service is contained within the Council's Parks and Open Spaces Strategy. The strategy provides an overview of the quality and quantity of open space managed by the Council; it identifies areas for improvement and development and establishes a clear direction for future management of open spaces including play areas.
The Council provides both financial and advisory support in respect of a range of children's play opportunities.
The Council has a joint Agreement with Hampshire County Council under which the Borough Council assists in implementing the childcare targets for Fareham as identified in the Hampshire Early Years Development and Childcare Plan.
There is also an increasing recognition of the need to work with older children in the 10-14 age range to develop further opportunities for safe and challenging activities using land and facilities owned by Fareham Borough Council and Hampshire County Council.
Current Provision
The Council provides and maintains 45 equipped play areas - full location details are given in Appendix B.
Equipped play areas are inspected on a daily basis by grounds maintenance staff.
Each year, play schemes, out of school clubs and other children's play provision receive financial support from the Borough Council.
Public Consultation
The public consultation carried out at the time of the Parks and Open Spaces Review in 1998 identified a public desire for more play areas.
A Residents Survey in 2000 revealed that 65% of local residents were either very or fairly satisfied with play areas. If funds became available, 30% of respondents said they would like to see more children's play facilities.
A Resident's Satisfaction Survey in 2001 revealed that 61% of residents believed play area refurbishment to be of importance. Four in ten residents with children considered this to be very important whilst only 13% of respondents without children considered this to be so.
The Youth Strategy Survey has revealed the need for more opportunities and facilities for older children.
What Does Fareham need?
There appears to be endorsement for Fareham Borough Council's policy of maintaining and refurbishing play areas on a regular basis. Opportunity is also taken to establish new play areas with developer's contributions and to attract funding from other sources for improvement and extension work.
However it is recognised that more challenging facilities need to be provided for older children and young people. This is being addressed in a number of ways, including a feasibility study into a skate-park facility and kick-about areas and assessing further opportunities for sport and adventurous play.
Strategic Objectives
- To review the quality, relevance and accessibility of equipped play areas as part of the Council's play area improvement programme, maintaining, refurbishing, removing or renewing as appropriate
- To provide safe and challenging play areas for children located within walking distance of their homes
- To facilitate good quality, safe and affordable play opportunities, with supervision provided where appropriate, in accordance with age and need.
- To ensure that children are not denied play opportunities because of discrimination, culture, disability, and poverty or because of social or environmental constraints.
- To establish new play areas with developer's contributions as opportunities arise.
- To assist in achieving the targets identified for Fareham in the Hampshire Early Years Development and Childcare Plan
- To develop and support forums related to the needs of young children
- To offer advice, support and assistance to play related organisations
- To develop a range of play and care provision for 5-14 year olds
- To work with 10-14 year olds to develop new opportunities for safe and challenging facilities at a variety of locations
Relationship to Other Strategies
The Children's Play strategic objectives inter-relate with other Council strategies in a number of ways, e.g.
- Planning Policy - creating new play areas with developer's contributions;
- Community Consultation - when planning or refurbishing any play provision;
- Partnerships - supporting community based play opportunities;
- Health Improvement - developing appropriate opportunities for play and recreation for young children;
- Community Safety - ensuring that play areas are safe and accessible;
- Social Inclusion - ensuring that facilities and opportunities are available to everyone.
- Youth - working with 10-14 year olds to identify and implement new opportunities.
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