Play is an essential part of a child's or young person's development and learning.

These can can be significantly enhanced by adult involvement and play should not be used to reward children for tasks or to keep them quiet for busy adults.

Play is therapeutic and helps children deal with difficult or painful circumstances such as emotional stress or medical treatment

It also gives them the chance to let off steam and have fun.

The charter highlights the benefits of play and how it produces and promotes the following:

• Child development, learning, creativity and independence
• Healthy and active children who become active adults
• Social inclusion helping children understand the people and places in their lives, learn about their environment and develop a sense of community
• Self-awareness in their abilities and interests

The charter is now being adopted by ourselves and other agencies across the UK and we plan to use it to develop play provision and opportunities.

As part of this plan we aim to ensure the following:

• Play is freely chosen, informal and not part of an organised activity
• Play takes place in children and young people's free time and promotes fun and enjoyment
• Play is an identified need, provided close to home and accessible to all children including disabled children
• Children, young people and their communities are consulted about play development and help design, develop and maintain cleaner, safer play areas

As part of these plans, playworkers and adults will be encouraged to support children playing to increase their feelings of safety without reducing the range and the challenge of opportunities on offer.

In order to implement these goals we will adopt an inter-departmental approach to developing, monitoring and evaluating the quality of local play provision led by a dedicated Play Manager.