Planning for Play
2026-03-19 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London)
*FULLY BOOKED*

Re-energise play in your afterschool setting!

Step back from the paperwork and the pressure and reconnect with what really matters – children’s play. This session is designed to be fun and engaging with practical ideas to plan for meaningful, play-based experiences in school-aged childcare shaped by the voices, interests and ideas of the children themselves. Working in afterschool isn’t easy. Time is tight, expectations are high fun, risk feels ever-present and screens are competing hard for children’s attention. This session offers a space to pause. Reflect and get inspired, share ideas, challenges and successes with others who truly understand the sector.

You’ll explore realistic, creative ways to plan quality, age-appropriate play experiences that respond to the diverse needs of the children in your setting, supporting their well-being, development and sense of belonging while strengthening your provision at the same time.

Come together with fellow practitioners, spark new ideas and rediscover the power of play.

Let’s work together to get children playing more – and playing better!

This online session is suitable for school-aged childcare staff.

Please contact meryl.boyd@playboard.co.uk if you require any further information.

School-Age Childcare Matters: MLA Engagement (Mid Ulster)
2026-04-29 11:30 - 13:00
Krafty Kidz Coalisland – Parochial Centre (Youth Club), 12 Stewartstown Road, Coalisland, Co Tyrone BT71 4PF

Have your voice heard. Inform the decisions that will shape the future of School-Age Childcare.

School-Age Childcare Matters: Meet Your MLA / Meet Your Constituents

As the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Strategy continues to develop, this is a critical moment to ensure it reflects the real experiences of children, families and services on the ground.

PlayBoard is hosting a series of informal “Meet and Greet” sessions, bringing together School-Age Childcare (SAC) providers and local MLAs to support open, constructive and solution-focused dialogue.

Why This Matters

School-Age Childcare plays a vital role in:

Supporting children’s development and well-being

Enabling parental employment

Sustaining local communities

Yet, there are growing concerns that the needs of children aged 4 to 11 years, and the services that support them, are not fully reflected within the draft ELC Strategy.

The decisions made now will shape the sector for the next decade.

What This Session Offers

A short overview from PlayBoard on the current policy context

Direct engagement between SAC providers and local MLAs

Informal roundtable discussions to share experiences and insights

Opportunity to explore challenges, solutions and future direction

For Providers

This is your opportunity to:

Share your experience of delivering SAC

Highlight the challenges facing your setting

Raise the profile of SAC within your constituency

Influence policy and decision-making

For MLAs

This is your opportunity to:

Hear directly from providers in your constituency

Understand the pressures facing the sector

Explore the impact on local families

Inform your role in shaping future childcare policy

Your Voice Matters

Without meaningful engagement between providers and decision-makers, there is a real risk that School-Age Childcare, and the children and families it supports, will continue to be overlooked.

View more dates

School-Age Childcare Matters: MLA Engagement (South Antrim)
2026-04-30 10:30 - 12:00
Antrim Enterprise Agency, 58 Greystone Road, Antrim BT41 1JZ

Have your voice heard. Inform the decisions that will shape the future of School-Age Childcare.

School-Age Childcare Matters: Meet Your MLA / Meet Your Constituents

As the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Strategy continues to develop, this is a critical moment to ensure it reflects the real experiences of children, families and services on the ground.

PlayBoard is hosting a series of informal “Meet and Greet” sessions, bringing together School-Age Childcare (SAC) providers and local MLAs to support open, constructive and solution-focused dialogue.

Why This Matters

School-Age Childcare plays a vital role in:

Supporting children’s development and well-being

Enabling parental employment

Sustaining local communities

Yet, there are growing concerns that the needs of children aged 4 to 11 years, and the services that support them, are not fully reflected within the draft ELC Strategy.

The decisions made now will shape the sector for the next decade.

What This Session Offers

A short overview from PlayBoard on the current policy context

Direct engagement between SAC providers and local MLAs

Informal roundtable discussions to share experiences and insights

Opportunity to explore challenges, solutions and future direction

For Providers

This is your opportunity to:

Share your experience of delivering SAC

Highlight the challenges facing your setting

Raise the profile of SAC within your constituency

Influence policy and decision-making

For MLAs

This is your opportunity to:

Hear directly from providers in your constituency

Understand the pressures facing the sector

Explore the impact on local families

Inform your role in shaping future childcare policy

Your Voice Matters

Without meaningful engagement between providers and decision-makers, there is a real risk that School-Age Childcare, and the children and families it supports, will continue to be overlooked.

View all dates

School-Age Childcare Matters: MLA Engagement (Belfast)
2026-05-05 10:30 - 12:00
Girdwood Community Hub, 10 Girdwood Avenue, Belfast BT14 6EG

Have your voice heard. Inform the decisions that will shape the future of School-Age Childcare.

School-Age Childcare Matters: Meet Your MLA / Meet Your Constituents

As the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Strategy continues to develop, this is a critical moment to ensure it reflects the real experiences of children, families and services on the ground.

PlayBoard is hosting a series of informal “Meet and Greet” sessions, bringing together School-Age Childcare (SAC) providers and local MLAs to support open, constructive and solution-focused dialogue.

Why This Matters

School-Age Childcare plays a vital role in:

Supporting children’s development and well-being

Enabling parental employment

Sustaining local communities

Yet, there are growing concerns that the needs of children aged 4–11, and the services that support them, are not fully reflected within the draft ELC Strategy.

The decisions made now will shape the sector for the next decade.

What This Session Offers

A short overview from PlayBoard on the current policy context

Direct engagement between SAC providers and local MLAs

Informal roundtable discussions to share experiences and insights

Opportunity to explore challenges, solutions and future direction

For Providers

This is your opportunity to:

Share your experience of delivering SAC

Highlight the challenges facing your setting

Raise the profile of SAC within your constituency

Influence policy and decision-making

For MLAs

This is your opportunity to:

Hear directly from providers in your constituency

Understand the pressures facing the sector

Explore the impact on local families

Inform your role in shaping future childcare policy

Your Voice Matters

Without meaningful engagement between providers and decision-makers, there is a real risk that School-Age Childcare, and the children and families it supports, will continue to be overlooked.

View all dates

School-Age Childcare Matters: MLA Engagement (Foyle)
2026-05-07 10:30 - 12:00
Drumahoe Childcare (Londonderry YMCA), 51 Glenshane Road, Drumahoe, Derry/Londonderry BT47 3SF

Have your voice heard. Inform the decisions that will shape the future of School-Age Childcare.

School-Age Childcare Matters: Meet Your MLA / Meet Your Constituents

As the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Strategy continues to develop, this is a critical moment to ensure it reflects the real experiences of children, families and services on the ground.

PlayBoard is hosting a series of informal “Meet and Greet” sessions, bringing together School-Age Childcare (SAC) providers and local MLAs to support open, constructive and solution-focused dialogue.

Why This Matters

School-Age Childcare plays a vital role in:

Supporting children’s development and well-being

Enabling parental employment

Sustaining local communities

Yet, there are growing concerns that the needs of children aged 4–11, and the services that support them, are not fully reflected within the draft ELC Strategy.

The decisions made now will shape the sector for the next decade.

What This Session Offers

A short overview from PlayBoard on the current policy context

Direct engagement between SAC providers and local MLAs

Informal roundtable discussions to share experiences and insights

Opportunity to explore challenges, solutions and future direction

For Providers

This is your opportunity to:

Share your experience of delivering SAC

Highlight the challenges facing your setting

Raise the profile of SAC within your constituency

Influence policy and decision-making

For MLAs

This is your opportunity to:

Hear directly from providers in your constituency

Understand the pressures facing the sector

Explore the impact on local families

Inform your role in shaping future childcare policy

Your Voice Matters

Without meaningful engagement between providers and decision-makers, there is a real risk that School-Age Childcare, and the children and families it supports, will continue to be overlooked.

View all dates

School-Age Childcare Matters: MLA Engagement (Mid Ulster)
2026-05-19 10:30 - 12:00
Magherafelt Women’s Group, 27-29 Moneymore Road, Magherafelt BT45 6AG

Have your voice heard. Inform the decisions that will shape the future of School-Age Childcare.

School-Age Childcare Matters: Meet Your MLA / Meet Your Constituents

As the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Strategy continues to develop, this is a critical moment to ensure it reflects the real experiences of children, families and services on the ground.

PlayBoard is hosting a series of informal “Meet and Greet” sessions, bringing together School-Age Childcare (SAC) providers and local MLAs to support open, constructive and solution-focused dialogue.

Why This Matters

School-Age Childcare plays a vital role in:

Supporting children’s development and well-being

Enabling parental employment

Sustaining local communities

Yet, there are growing concerns that the needs of children aged 4–11, and the services that support them, are not fully reflected within the draft ELC Strategy.

The decisions made now will shape the sector for the next decade.

What This Session Offers

A short overview from PlayBoard on the current policy context

Direct engagement between SAC providers and local MLAs

Informal roundtable discussions to share experiences and insights

Opportunity to explore challenges, solutions and future direction

For Providers

This is your opportunity to:

Share your experience of delivering SAC

Highlight the challenges facing your setting

Raise the profile of SAC within your constituency

Influence policy and decision-making

For MLAs

This is your opportunity to:

Hear directly from providers in your constituency

Understand the pressures facing the sector

Explore the impact on local families

Inform your role in shaping future childcare policy

Your Voice Matters

Without meaningful engagement between providers and decision-makers, there is a real risk that School-Age Childcare, and the children and families it supports, will continue to be overlooked.

View all dates

School-Age Childcare Matters: MLA Engagement
2026-05-21 10:30 - 12:00
Clandeboye Nature Rangers (Clandeboye Estate), 491a Belfast Road, Bangor BT19 1RL

Have your voice heard. Inform the decisions that will shape the future of School-Age Childcare.

School-Age Childcare Matters: Meet Your MLA / Meet Your Constituents

As the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Strategy continues to develop, this is a critical moment to ensure it reflects the real experiences of children, families and services on the ground.

PlayBoard is hosting a series of informal “Meet and Greet” sessions, bringing together School-Age Childcare (SAC) providers and local MLAs to support open, constructive and solution-focused dialogue.

Why This Matters

School-Age Childcare plays a vital role in:

Supporting children’s development and well-being

Enabling parental employment

Sustaining local communities

Yet, there are growing concerns that the needs of children aged 4–11, and the services that support them, are not fully reflected within the draft ELC Strategy.

The decisions made now will shape the sector for the next decade.

What This Session Offers

A short overview from PlayBoard on the current policy context

Direct engagement between SAC providers and local MLAs

Informal roundtable discussions to share experiences and insights

Opportunity to explore challenges, solutions and future direction

For Providers

This is your opportunity to:

Share your experience of delivering SAC

Highlight the challenges facing your setting

Raise the profile of SAC within your constituency

Influence policy and decision-making

For MLAs

This is your opportunity to:

Hear directly from providers in your constituency

Understand the pressures facing the sector

Explore the impact on local families

Inform your role in shaping future childcare policy

Your Voice Matters

Without meaningful engagement between providers and decision-makers, there is a real risk that School-Age Childcare, and the children and families it supports, will continue to be overlooked.

View all dates
