Playwork
All about playwork
Playwork can be described as the art of working with playing children. Playwork is child-centred and ensures that play is the main focus.
In this section you will find information about:
- Qualifications and training
- The Playwork Principles
- Registered playwork provision
- Safeguarding in play provision
- Quality assurance
- Required qualifications
- Workforce development
Playwork is a recognised occupation with a set of professional standards, training, qualifications and careers.
Playwork can be a full-time career or something that fits alongside study or other work. Understanding how to support children’s play is the most important task for a playworker. Playwork is different to many other professions involving work with children where the focus may be on learning, physical activity or the arts, for example.
Important qualities for playworkers include:
- A belief that children are the experts about their own play
- A belief that children have a right to play
- A commitment to including all children
- A willingness to let children take the lead in their own play
- A willingness to step back when necessary so children can play in their own way
- An awareness that risk taking is an important part of play and that an adult’s role is to balance risk taking with play’s physical and emotional benefits
- An appreciation of the value of observation and how this helps adults understand children and their play
- An ability to reflect on good and bad experiences to improve playwork practice
- A creative approach to working with others
- A good understanding of how to provide resources for play.
Open access playwork provision and out of school childcare provision information and resources
The professional and ethical framework as well as a definition of what is unique about playwork
Playwork training and qualifications for the play and playwork sectors in Wales
Introduction to our new quality assurance programme, Chwarae o Safon – the playwork quality mark
Making sure the play and playwork workforces have the support they need to understand, value and support opportunities for play
Playwork qualifications needed for working with children in a regulated after-school or open access setting
Child protection information and procedures for playworkers and playwork settings