The Playwork Principles are the ethical and professional framework on which modern playwork practice is founded and, as such, should be taken as a whole. They describe what is unique about play and playwork, and provide the playwork perspective for working with children and young people. They are based on the recognition that children and young people’s capacity for positive development will be enhanced if given access to the broadest range of environments and play opportunities.
The Playwork Principles were conceived through consultation with the playwork sector across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and further developed by the Playwork Principles Scrutiny Group assembled by Play Wales – the national play organisation for Wales. The Playwork Principles were formally adopted in 2005, and today underpin the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for playwork, and are widely adopted internationally.
1 All children and young people need to play. The impulse to play is innate. Play is a biological, psychological and social necessity, and is fundamental to the healthy development and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
2 Play is a process that is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. That is, children and young people determine and control the content and intent of their play, by following their own instincts, ideas and interests, in their own way for their own reasons.
3 The prime focus and essence of playwork is to support and facilitate the play process and this should inform the development of play policy, strategy, training and education.
4 For playworkers, the play process takes precedence and playworkers act as advocates for play when engaging with adult led agendas.
5 The role of the playworker is to support all children and young people in the creation of a space in which they can play.
6 The playworker’s response to children and young people playing is based on a sound up to date knowledge of the play process, and reflective practice.
7 Playworkers recognise their own impact on the play space and also the impact of children and young people’s play on the playworker.
8 Playworkers choose an intervention style that enables children and young people to extend their play. All playworker intervention must balance risk with the developmental benefit and well being of children.
At nearly 20 years old, many in the playwork sector believe the Playwork Principles to be in need of an update. A common exercise during playwork training is to try and summarise and truncate each of the principles whilst ensuring none of the key messages are lost or weakened. Similarly, many believe that the principles are not specific enough and leave room for misinterpretation.
One such clarification is where it states “all children” – The Playwork Foundation assumes this to include disabled* children, children from global majority and seldom-heard communities, and children wherever they are in the world.
Scrutiny Group
Play Wales shares the following list as those who were involved in the Scrutiny Group in 2004:
Tony Chilton (Play Wales (North))
Steve Chown (Torbay Children’s Fund Devon)
Sue Coates (London Play)
Doug Cole (Cardiff Children’s Play Services)
Mick Conway (London Play)
Perry Else (Ludemos Sheffield)
Lesli Godfrey (SkillsActive Newcastle)
Mike Greenaway (Play Wales)
Jackie Jeffrey (London)
Eva Kane (PlayBoard Northern Ireland)
Stuart Lester (Manchester)
Fiona Lovely (Belfast Traveller Support Group)
Marianne Mannello (Play Wales)
Jess Milne (Hackney Play Association)
Maureen Palmer (Islington Children’s Services)
Wendy Russell (University of Gloucestershire)
Penny Wilson (KIDS London)
The group also originally included Elena Stevenson from Scotland, Bob Hughes and Elke Schwarzer.
Playwork Assumptions & Values
Before the Playwork Principles were established as the professional and ethical framework in 2005, playwork was guided by a set of assumptions and values.
While it’s important to emphasise that the Playwork Principles supersede these earlier foundations, the assumptions and values remain a valuable historical reference, offering playworkers an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of playwork practice.
As Playwork continues to evolve, these foundations serve as a reminder that playwork practice is not rigid – it adapts to the changing needs and understanding of children.
Assumptions
The first assumption is that children’s play is freely chosen, personally directed behaviour motivated from within; through play the child explores the world and their relationship with it, elaborating all the while a flexible range of responses to the challenges they encounter; by playing the child learns and develops as an individual.
The second assumption is that whereas children may play without encouragement or help, adults can, through the provision of an appropriate human and physical environment, significantly enhance opportunities for the child to play creatively and thus develop through play. In this way the competent playworker always aims to provide opportunities for the individual child to achieve their full potential while being careful not to control the child’s direction or choice.
Values
Play opportunities are provided in a number of settings (for example Local Authority, voluntary or commercial) for children with a variety of needs, in a complex society diverse in culture and belief; nevertheless, competent Playwork always has the following underlying values:
1 The child must be at the centre of the process; the opportunities provided and the organisation which supports, coordinates and manages these should always start with the child’s needs and offer sufficient flexibility to meet these.
2 Play should empower children, affirm and support their right to make choices, discover their own solutions, to play and develop at their own pace and in their own way.
3 Whereas play may sometimes be enriched by the playworker’s participation, adults should always be sensitive to children’s needs and never try to control a child’s play so long as it remains within safe and acceptable boundaries.
4 Every child has a right to a play environment which stimulates and provides opportunities for risk, challenge and the growth of confidence and self-esteem.
5 The contemporary environment in which many children grow up does not lend itself to safe and creative play; all children have the right to a play environment which is free from hazard, one which ensures physical and personal safety, a setting within which the child ultimately feels physically and personally safe.
6 Every child is an individual and has the right to be respected as such; each child should feel confident that individuality and diversity are valued by the adults who work and play with them.
7 A considerate and caring attitude to individual children and their families is essential to competent playwork and should be displayed at all times.
8 Prejudice against people with disabilities or who experience social and economic disadvantage, racism and sexism have no place in an environment which seeks to enhance development through play; adults involved in play should always promote equality of opportunity and access for all children, and seek to develop anti-discriminatory practice and positive attitudes to those who are put at a disadvantage.
Note: If Value 8 were written today, we assume it would encompass all Protected Characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, including gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, and religious or ethnic diversity.
9 Play should offer the child opportunities to extend their exploration and understanding of the wider world and therefore physical, social and cultural settings beyond their immediate experience.
10 Play is essentially a cooperative activity for children both individually and in groups. Playworkers should always encourage children to be sensitive to the needs of others; in providing play opportunities, they should always seek to work together with children, their parents, colleagues and other professionals and where possible, make their own expertise available to the wider community.
11 Play opportunities should always be provided within the legislative framework relevant to children’s rights, health, safety and well-being.
12 Every child has a right to an environment for play, and such environments must be made accessible to children.
Source: The text of the Assumptions and Values above is closely adapted from the NVQ/SVQ and CACHE Playwork Level 2 Candidate Handbook (© Tina Farrow, Valerie Stevens, and Susan Stanley, 2003), which itself cites the Assumptions and Values text as being “based on material from the CACHE, NVQ in Playwork Level 2 Candidate Handbook”.
The original Assumptions and Values are widely referenced as being part of the SPRITO (1992) National Occupational Standards for Playwork. As such, It is assumed that this information is not subject to copyright restrictions or limitations on distribution.
This informatiton is made publicly available, free of charge, for the purposes of discussion, education, reflection and review.
Minor revisions have been made to enhance inclusivity in line with modern expectations while preserving the original intent and meaning as much as possible.
The Playwork Foundation 