On 23 October, PlayBoard held an online session for members on the Draft Programme for Government.
PlayBoard is currently in the process of finalising its submission to the Programme for Government consultation which is due to close on 4 November. PlayBoard’s submission will cover a range of areas including the need to prioritise support for the Play-based School-Age Childcare Sector (as part of priority 2 – Delivering Affordable Childcare) and the need for targeted interventions under priority 5 aimed at delivering better support for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs.
Beyond these 2 priority areas, PlayBoard’s submission will highlight more broadly the need to deliver:
- Incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into NI Law (as recently undertaken in Scotland)
- The development of a resourced Play Strategy for NI to drive fulfilment of UNCRC Article 31 – the Right to Play
- The review and updating of the Strategic Planning Policy Statement to incorporate greater recognition for play
- The establishment of a Play Sufficiency approach in line with developments in Wales and Scotland
- The need for focused prioritisation of early intervention for improvement of mental health and well-being.
View PlayBoard’s draft submission. If you would like to make suggestions for inclusion please email info@playboard.org by Friday 1 November at 10:00am.
We encourage you to share your opinion on the draft Programme for Government before the consultation deadline on 4 November 2024 – go to https://consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/teo/pfg-2024