Play Matters Project

Play Shaper is a programme of professional play development, training and guidance offered to a range of stakeholders who directly or indirectly influence play (policy makers, district councils, government departments, service providers, planning officers, PSNI, community representatives, health and social care professionals etc.) and is aimed at helping them understand the importance of play and leisure and their role in creating child-friendly and/or play-friendly communities.

The Play for Parents’ element of the programme aims to provide parents and the professionals who work with them the skills, knowledge and confidence to meaningfully play with their children and an understanding of the many benefits of play in relation to their child’s development. This will be delivered through play specific training for professionals who work directly with parents, play awareness programmes for parents and play modelling sessions for parents and children.

Alongside the two main elements above the project also plans to distill a number of key play messages targeted at parents and professionals alike via a messaging campaign. This is planned to run across 12 months in tandem with the promotion of play and leisure linked to the DE ‘Helping Hand’ campaign in partnership with Government Advertising Unit. Alongside this a ‘Play Messaging’ schedule has been produced to align with published national events and will be shared via social media platforms over the next year.