Island play plan backed by parents and politicians

Parents and politicians have praised the government's new play plan, which aims to give children in Jersey more places to play ball games in open green areas and indoors.

The plan pledges to listen more closely to young people's views about where and how they play, with proposals including quiet sessions for children with additional needs and quicker repairs or replacement of broken playground equipment.

Ministers said the goal was for children to be able to play safely and freely, wherever they lived.

A three-year action plan begins this month, aiming to expand play opportunities across every parish.

Parents and grandparents welcomed the proposals, saying they wanted to see more accessible and varied places for children to play.

Samantha Kean said: "It would be great to get kids more outdoors and just somewhere new and exciting."

Another parent, Natalie Naipany, said "It's very beneficial to their development, their minds, their health."

Grandparent John Ponomarenko said he would like to see some of the parishes having something indoors "because when the weather's bad, you're stuck with your grandchildren or your children, you have absolutely nowhere to go".

While play has long been part of Jersey's childcare regulations, from nurseries to holiday clubs, the new plan broadens the focus beyond formal settings.

Regulators said understanding the value of play should not stop at the school gate.

The plan aims to change how adults view young people using public spaces.

Alison Goguelin from the Childcare and Early Years Service (CEYS) said that includes attitudes to noise, movement and socialising.

"They need to be able to skateboard, go on their scooters, kick a ball around, hang out, play, make noise, because that's part of us understanding ourselves as social adults or social young people."

St Martin is cited by some as an example of a parish with positive play provision.

It developed an inclusive playground shaped by children's ideas and funded through community support.

The Constable of St Martin, Karen Shenton Stone, said similar approaches could work across the island.

"There's no cost to coming to this to this green, there's no cost to coming to this play area.

"So it helps people of all ages and I do think we can get something like this in all parishes," she said.

The new island play plan follows concerns raised by children and young people about having limited safe places to play.

Researchers were told safety concerns, access issues and negative attitudes were restricting their right to play.

Deputy Malcolm Ferey, the minister leading the project, said play was vital in preparing children for adult life.

"Play is really important for children's development, for their social interaction."

He described play as being "upstream of cooperation".

"Children that learn how to play well end up being well rounded communicative adults who interact well with other people."

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