Beginning in October 2024, The Playwork Foundation are presenting a series of free, interactive and playful webinars aimed at the out of school (OOS) sector.
The sessions will explore play and playwork theory and practice, including areas such as the Playwork Principles, the play cycle, intervention styles, play types, loose parts & more.
Places are limited, so please only book if you know you are able to attend. All sessions are delivered on a voluntary basis by Trustees and members of The Playwork Foundation.
Current programme:
23/10/24: What is play?
Play is something we all think we know well and recognise but do we?! This session explores play from the perspective of the actual experts – children themselves – which may bring some surprises!
This webinar will be delivered by Karen Benjamin and Helen Stephenson.
06/11/24: What is the role of the playworker?
This session will unpack and unpick the role of any adult who wants to support children’s self-directed play – and it is different to any other kind of adult role we are more used to.
This session will be presented by Ali Wood and Helen Stephenson.
04/12/24: The Play Cycle
This is a great way to help us understand and recognise what is actually happening when children play – and identifying what our role in it might be.
This session is presented by Karen Benjamin and Ali Wood.
11/12/24: Play Types
Understanding these help us appreciate how wide-ranging and essential play is in all its forms and how it isn’t just something children ‘do’, but really engage in with their whole selves.
This session is delivered by Karen Benjamin & Ali Wood.
08/01/25: How not to cheat our children – Loose parts
When did it all get so complicated? In this session we think about ‘Stuff’ and what we need at hand to make sure children have a rich play life. In a time when money is short, how can we make sure that our children do not avoid just poverty, but also paucity of experience?
This session is delivered by Penny Wilson and Siôn Edwards.
22/01/25: What makes a play environment?
Think back to your best ever play memory. Where did it take place? This session asks us to take a good hard look at the places where play thrives and how we can recognise and create them.
This session is delivered by Penny Wilson and Siôn Edwards.
05/02/25: A Playworker’s Guide to Risk
The session will explore how practitioners can provide a reasonable degree of risk and challenge at their settings by using a playwork approach. It will cover dynamic risk assessment and the use of risk-benefit assessments as well as very practical examples about striking the right balance.
This session will be delivered by Simon Bazley & Helen Stephenson.
26/02/25: Intervention Styles
When should – and shouldn’t – we intervene in children’s play and why? This session will explore our impact and involvement in supporting play.
This session will be delivered by Ali Wood & Karen Benjamin.
DATE CHANGE: 14/05/25: Mental Health & Wellbeing at Work
OOSC work can be very stressful. We have to be so many things to so many people. Come along to share your favourite methods to deal with stress and look after your mental well being with others who know just where you are coming from. We will pull together a help sheet with everyone’s suggestions.
This session will be delivered by Anne-Marie Mackin & Helen Stephenson.
26/03/25: The benefits of play for brain development
What are the benefits of play for healthy brain development and what are the potential consequences for children who have limited, restricted or no opportunities to play? This session will look at the evidence of play’s impact on brain development, what is meant by play deprivation and what the effects may be.
This session will be delivered by Julia Sexton & Helen Stephenson.
02/04/25: Barriers to Play – Thinking differently
Being able to identify the child at play is pivotal to playwork. But do we recognise all types of playing? And do we enable all children to play in their own way? Considering culture, disability, identity and difference, this session will explore how to challenge what you see and encourage inquisitive creativity in managing your play spaces.
This session will be delivered by Siôn Edwards & Nicholas James.
30/04/25: Article 31, UNCRC
As Scotland makes the ground-breaking step of incorporating the UNCRC into Scots law, come along for a discussion on how we can integrate key articles into our Out of School Care Practice. There will be a particular focus on Articles 12 and 31 but feel free to share all your favourite examples from any of the other articles too.
This session is presented by Anne-Marie Mackin and Julia Sexton.
The Playwork Foundation 