Robert Brown calls for a Play Strategy for Children

12.00.00am GMT Mon 5th Nov 2007

A call for a national Play Strategy for children has come from Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown. Mr. Brown was speaking for the Liberal Democrats in a debate in the Scottish Parliament on early years' care and education.

During the debate, Robert Brown called on the SNP Government to take the time and effort to develop and get right a coherent policy on early years' care.

Mr. Brown - a former Deputy Minister for Education and Young People - then laid out a four point plan for success with an early years' strategy focusing on better play opportunities for children.

Robert Brown said:

"Liberal Democrats in Government delivered free pre-school and nursery education for three and four-year-olds; 3,000 new teachers and 300 new and renovated schools in the last four years.

"In fact, we pretty much achieved a revolution in additional support needs, the review of the curriculum, in leadership, and in many other aspects of the Scottish school system.

"Liberal Democrats want to make primary 1 a transition year from nursery to primary education. Such a move, which is increasingly gaining professional support and has already been carried out in many schools, rightly recognises that children develop at different rates and that they need a more play-based approach to learning.

"In many other countries-not least in Scandinavia-formal school starts later, at six or seven years and more innovative approaches, such as nature kindergartens, are taken at the pre-school or nursery stage. There is a broader view of the importance of play, recreation, sport and wraparound care. Play is linked with adventure, challenge and confidence building.

"During the recent election campaign, I supported the launch of Play Scotland's manifesto at a nursery facility in Cathcart in Glasgow and offered Liberal Democrat support for a Scottish play strategy. I was convinced it would be both helpful and necessary to proceed with this early in the new parliamentary session.

"Such a strategy should firstly be both a play and communication strategy. Children express themselves through play, and one of the saddest commentaries that I have ever heard on the challenges that we face in our often fractured society, is the bald statement that many parents do not know how to play with their children. How sad is that?

"A play and communication strategy must bring in effective family support, widen the availability of nurture classes and target the needs of those who have been in care or are at risk.

"Secondly, a Scottish play and communication strategy must contain a programme of improvements for early years facilities, with more green space and a recognition of the importance of outdoor learning for all children. To do this we must deal with the attack on green space in our cities.

"Thirdly, we must support the reinvigoration of the Scottish play group movement with a commitment to a free play group place for every two-year-old.

"The role of the play group is not just to provide play opportunities for young children. They have a huge role in spreading good practice; providing mutual support for parents, (particularly mothers), in building confidence in parents and children, and bringing in expertise on play methods.

"Fourthly, staffed play centres should be developed throughout Scotland, on the model of Reidvale Adventure Play Association centre in the east end of Glasgow.

"I can think of few better investments than 20 or 30 similar facilities across Scotland, which would cost about £5 million a year."