Foundations of Playwork

"Foundations of Playwork is a must read for anyone with an interest in playwork or children's services. It shows the breadth, depth and value of our work with and on behalf of children." Mike Greenaway, Director of Play Wales Play impacts on all aspects of human behaviour and development, including the social, physical, cognitive, creative, emotional and spiritual worlds. The profession of playwork endeavours to provide enriched play environments with a view to enabling children achieve their full potential. This book provides a holistic overview of contemporary play and playwork. Straightforward and accessible, it covers topics such as playwork identity; play environments; the role of the playworker; values and ethics; play and playwork theory; and at the heart of the book, a special chapter located at the cutting-edge of 21st century play theory. The authors position play and playwork within the broader social context of the management and development of play settings, work within and between different sectors of the children's workforce, and the socio-legal framework of children's rights, and legislation. The book has international interest, considering playwork in the UK, US and Romania. It looks at diverse settings such as prisons, hospitals, parks, adventure playgrounds and play centres, schools, youth settings and nurseries. Contributions from many of the leading names in playwork offer the most current theory and practice in the field. They present approaches to playwork using a range of techniques such as case studies and critiques, applied and emergent theorizing, story-telling and reflection. This encourages the reader to gain a breadth of perspective and develop their own contribution to the playwork tradition. Foundations of Playwork is a vital resource for playwork students, practitioners, members of the children's workforce, carers and parents.

Table of Contents:
Part 1: Playwork theory and playwork practice in the UK 1 The fundamentals of playwork Fraser Brown 2. Where children play: the place of staffed provision Issy Cole-Hamilton 3. Playwork a profession: distinct or extinct Tanny Stobart 4. The state of play in England Adrian Voce 5. Playwork in Scotland Joan Beattie 6. Play in Wales Mike Greenaway 7. Play provision in Northern Ireland Eva Kane 8. Playwork education, training and qualifications: looking to the future Paul Bonel 9. Playwork and the theory of loose parts Chris Taylor 10. Work based learning and reflective practice Sue Palmer Part 2: The play environment 11. Play and the play stage Stuart Lester 12. If you go down to the woods today: why nature and adventure matter to children and young people Tim Gill 13. Playwork and the environment Natalie Baxter 14. The concept of risk in play and playwork Mark Gladwin 15. Quality in play: underpinning thoughts Mick Conway Part 3: The playing child and the practising playworker 16. Playing: the space between Perry Else 17. Modelling playwork: BRAWGS continuum, dialogue and collaborative reflection Wendy Russell 18. The edge of recalcitrance: playwork in the zone of complexity Arthur Battram 19. Two weeks of adventure play: moving furniture Ben Tawil 20. After school childcare in adventure playgrounds Maggie Harris 21. Play in hospitals Kirsty Ward 22. Playwork in prisons Amy Clutterbrook and Janine Hart 23. Thinking about creating a play environment Meynell Part 4. Playwork Values, Ethics & Professional Practice 24. The playwork principles Mick Conway 25. The playwork principles: a critique Fraser Brown 26. Some reflections on the history of playwork in the adventure playground tradition Chris Taylor 27. 'The place we are meant to be': play, playwork and the natural rhythms of communities Maureen Palmer Part 5. Special Feature 28. Beyond ambiguity Brian Sutton-Smith Part 6. Play Links, Relating and Communicating 29. Mother and baby: the first playground Penny Wilson and Chris Taylor 30. Playing and relating: the contribution of Winnicott Val Richards 31. Exploring rhythm in playwork Annie Davy 32. Community based projects Steve Chan Part 7. Working with Professional Diversity 33. Common core number 7: the missing link? Paul Bonel 34. Guerilla playwork Mike Wragg 35. Playwork in the early years: working in a parallel profession Katherine Fisher 36. Play, learning and education: common core of skills and knowledge for the children's workforce Keith Ramtahal 37. At sixes and sevens: the transition of play to secondary schools Julie Griffiths 38. Play and youth work: a qualitative case study of integrated practice Chris Taylor 39. The children's workforce: the early years and playwork Maureen Palmer 40. Summer camp in Romania: playwork with volunteers Louise Taffinder Part 8. Contributing to the Management and Development of Play Settings 41. Playing the policy game: promoting effective play strategies with government, and why should we bother? Adrian Voce 42. Managing children's play provision Tony Chilton 43. Voluntary community play provision: a case study Maggie Harris and Vicky Hunt 44. Somerford Grove Community Project and Adventure Playground Nick Jackson 45. Tell me an old old story: ICT and the play setting Stephen Rennie Part 9. Legislation and Rights 46. The history of child protection, present procedures and practices Terry Thomas 47. Health & safety: a playwork perspective Maureen Palmer 48. Children's rights and play Issy Cole-Hamilton 49. Being an anti-racist Haki Kapasi 50. ... and inclusion Penny Wilson 51. Gender and play: the development of gendered identities and their expression in play Mariana Papadopolou 52. The enigma of the missing female perspective in playwork theory Part 10. Research and Methods 53. Researching with children Sue Palmer 54. Story telling as a tool for promoting playwork Jackie Jeffrey 55. An exploratory study into practice and attitude towards child-led play Becky Cole 56. Children without play: a research project Fraser Brown and Sophie Webb Appendices A1. Brief annotated bibliography Anna Kassman-McKerrell A2. The playwork principles Play Wales

About the Author :
Fraser Brown is Reader in Playwork at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK, and Course Leader of the BA (Hons) Playwork degree. He is Chair of the Aid for Romanian Children charitable trust. Chris Taylor is a Playwork Trainer and Consultant, Associate Lecturer with the Open University, a Trustee for London Play, and a Management Committee Support Worker at Play Association Tower Hamlets, UK.