Since resumption of the Assembly earlier this year, PlayBoard has been actively advocating for children’s play to be recognised and prioritised. Work continues to address the needs of the play-based School-Age Childcare (SAC) sector and the need for a Play Strategy for Northern Ireland. The recognition of the SAC sector and its valuable contribution to the childcare arena cannot be understated. This, alongside the development of a targeted Play Strategy would transform the landscape for play, enhancing children and young people’s lives and delivering significant developmental benefits. 

The need for a Play Strategy was highlighted as a key priority for Northern Ireland by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, whilst the development of a Play Strategy would echo developments in Wales and Scotland which have been shown to deliver significant benefits for children, young people, families and communities.

PlayBoard meet with Alliance Party representatives

Building on previous engagement with Alliance Leader and Justice Minister Naomi Long MLA, PlayBoard’s CEO and Service Delivery and Development Manager have met with members of the Alliance Party at two key meetings this month.

At a meeting of the Alliance Ability Group, Alan and Angela outlined the work of PlayBoard and our partnership work with the Mae Murray Foundation. The meeting was an opportunity for members to gain a greater understanding of the critical importance of play in children’s lives, the challenges faced by children with disabilities in fulfilling their right to play, and the importance of the Executive progressing a Play Strategy for Northern Ireland. 

The development of the UK National Statement ‘Including Disabled Children in Play Provision’ was discussed along with our local research, ‘Let me Play’, and the subsequent publication of the ‘ADAPT my Play’ resource which aims to support development of inclusive play parks.

On 24 September, Alan and Angela met with Alliance MLAs at Stormont, highlighting a number of key issues affecting play in Northern Ireland including:  

  • The need for a dedicated NI Play Strategy, built on a play sufficiency mechanism to drive the enhancement of play opportunities for children and young people.
  • The role of the play-based SAC sector in delivering high quality, play-based childcare opportunities for children and families and in helping to drive the economy.
  • Sectoral concerns regarding the inequity of the Executive’s recent investment for the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy which saw the parents of school-age children excluded from affordability support of 15% per childcare place.
  • The continued absence of the Business Support Scheme which is aimed at stabilising at risk childcare providers.
  • The need for the Executive to recognise, acknowledge and commit to meeting the most recent concluding observations of the United Nations (2023) which included the development of a resourced play strategy and focused action to enhance accessible, inclusive and quality play opportunities.

Both meetings were positive and constructive and PlayBoard look forward to continued engagement as we work to deliver the child’s right to play.

Roundtable meeting with Finance Minister

Earlier this month, PlayBoard CEO Alan Herron participated in a roundtable event with representatives from across the Childcare Sector, called by Finance Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA.

The event provided an opportunity for PlayBoard to highlight concerns regarding the inequity of treatment afforded to SAC providers and the parents of school-age children in the recent announcement of £25m investment in support of the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy.

Under the provisions of the investment, a childcare subsidy scheme aimed at alleviating cost pressures on parents using pre-school childcare was introduced – no such support was put in place for the parents of school-age children using SAC services. At the meeting, Alan highlighted both the deep concern across the SAC sector at the inequity of the approach adopted and the detrimental impact it would have on SAC providers and the families who use their services.

The roundtable also provided an opportunity to voice dissatisfaction at the continued delay to the roll out of the Business Support Scheme element of the £25 million investment which aimed to provide stability for those at financial risk. The delay is placing many SAC providers, who are already facing significant challenges, in an increasingly precarious situation.

Play-based SAC providers are at the core of many children’s lives, delivering quality childcare and valuable play opportunities for school-aged children, contributing to improved health and well-being; education, learning and social development. Following the roundtable event, PlayBoard will continue to advocate on behalf of the wider SAC sector in order to raise the needs of the sector with Ministers, Departments and political representatives.