Don't punish children for being children - sign this petition

Children at Play - Brueghel

Play England, of which I am a member, has been Tweeting supporters asking them to sign a petition to Norman Baker, Minister of State for Crime Prevention, over proposals to redefine anti-social behaviour. The petition was started by the Standing Committee for Youth Justice and their text and justification are self-explanatory.

There is enough discouragement of children's play as it is, as well as the temptation of screen entertainment. On the estate where I live children ride their assorted bikes and scooters around the close, have 'adventures' in the woodland that borders the estate, sometimes build their own shelters and dens as well as playing in the 'official' playground.

It is happy, healthy , safe and sociable but could be ended by one persistent complainant if this change goes through.

Here is the petition.

We call on the government to keep the existing definition of anti-social behaviour and not to broaden it to “conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance.”

Why is this important?

The government is changing the law and replacing ASBOs with Injunctions To Prevent Nuisance and Annoyance (IPNAs). While ASBOs targeted behaviour considered to “cause harassment, alarm or distress,” IPNAs will target conduct “capable of causing nuisance or annoyance”.

This new wording is too vague and casts the net far too wide. 

A ten year old could get an IPNA for doing something as harmless as playing football or climbing a tree, just because someone finds their behaviour annoying. And the punishments aren’t trivial either. An IPNA can lead to a prison sentence. 

Even the Association of Chief Police Officers, in giving evidence to MPs, warned that IPNAs “have the potential to be used inappropriately” and “unnecessarily criminalise” children.

Let’s tell the government we don’t want our children to be punished for being children.

Please sign our petition to Norman Baker, the Minister for Crime Prevention, asking him to keep the current definition of anti-social behaviour as causing harassment, alarm or distress.

You can sign the 38 degrees petition HERE

A House of Common research paper on the proposal can be found HERE

Get out there and celebrate Playday today

Today is National Playday organised by Play England and the weather has turned out just right for children to get out into the fresh air.  Here is Play England's message about today:

Playday has gone from strength-to-strength since its inception in London in 1987, when the first events were held to raise awareness about the effects of cuts to local play services. Today, over 600 celebrations are happening across the UK to give children and young people a fun-filled day, and to continue to demonstrate the importance of play for children, families and whole communities. 

A survey commissioned to support the Playday 2013 Playful places campaign has revealed that traffic, fear of strangers and intolerant neighbours are preventing children from playing outdoors. Additionally, over 50% of adults reported playing out at least seven times a week when they were growing up, compared to less than a quarter of children (23%) today, with 40% of children saying they want to play out more. 

However, the survey shows that play has the power to bring communities together; with 40% of adults saying that children playing out where they live improves community spirit, and almost half (45%) saying it helps families to get to know each other. All it takes is one or two families to take the first step; with 60% of parents saying they would feel confident to let their kids play out if others were playing too.

So for Playday 2013, we're calling on everyone to help make sure that children have the freedom and space to play out where they live by:

• Spreading the word about the campaign - tell everyone you know about Playday - Facebook it, Tweet it (#Playday2013) and talk about it!
• Getting involved locally - get together with others in your community to think about how you can make the places where you live great places for kids to play.
• Encouraging decision-makers to commit to play - contact your local MP and Councillors and encourage them to take account of children's play needs when making decisions about your local area.

The Playful places campaign is calling on everyone to help make sure that the places where children play and hang out are great places to play.

The campaign recognises that:

• Children should feel welcomed where they live and feel part of their communities.
• Parents want their children to be able to play outside.
• Public space should be designed and managed with children's play in mind.
• Children and young people need to be involved in planning the places and spaces where they play.

Early years experts launch campaign to 'save childhood'

From Katy Morrison Nursery World, June 28th 2012

   A new website has been launched  LINK to promote a campaign by early years experts to save childhood. The Save Childhood Movement expands upon Open Eye’s Saving Childhood Network, which was set up last October following the publication of ‘Too much, too soon?’ by Dr Richard House. It has been launched in response to concerns of an ‘erosion of childhood’ in modern culture, and aims to bring together a team of experts to consolidate relevant research and protect and promote children’s natural development and learning.

    Behind the movement is Wendy Ellyatt, founder of the Unique Child Network, Child psychologist Dr Richard House, from the University of Roehampton, and Kim Simpson, co-founder of the Early Childhood Action Group.

   Members of the Save Childhood Movement’s advisory group include Professors Lillian Katz and Janet Moyles, early years consultants Wendy Scott and Margaret Edgington and Catherine Prisk - director of Play England. It is hoped the new website will help to gain sponsorship for the movement ahead of its official launch next spring at the first of a series of annual seminar series.

The next six months will be spent consolidating the advisory board and gaining support to grow the movement.

   Ms Ellyatt, the group’s development director, said, ‘The movement has been set up in recognition of the rapidly growing evidence about child health and well-being in the UK. According to the Children’s Society 2012 Good Childhood Report at any one time more than half a million children are unhappy with their lives and, with increasingly sedentary lifestyles. One in ten children are suffering from mental health problems, and there is what is being called an "alienation of experience".'

   ‘We have some of the most academically pressurised children in the world, with an increasing focus on targets and measurable outcomes rather than the more holistic nurturing of positive learning dispositions. We think such evidence calls for urgent action and we are now bringing together a multi-disciplinary team of experts who agree with us.’

Playful Protest on March 26th

 

"Join us in playful protest on 26 March as part of the national March for the Alternative, taking place in response to the government's programme of fast and deep public spending cuts."

Play England and Unite's Community and Youth Workers section are proposing this under the banner of the Play England led campaign, Save Children's Play. Thousands of children and young people will be affected by cuts to play services, so join your fellow play people on 26 March and stand up for play!

The main march will gather on Victoria Embankment and form up between Waterloo and Blackfriars Bridges from 11am. We'll be coordinating a meeting point close by where we can all gather and head down together.

We're looking to create a carnival atmosphere to demonstrate the positive impact of play. Come playfully armed, with space hoppers, hula hoops, skipping ropes, juggling balls, musical instruments, stilts, you name it!

You can pledge your attendance here: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118080668268454. Don't forget to put the date in your diary and forward the link to all your friends and colleagues in play. You can share your playful ideas for the delegation and keep informed about the plans via the Save Children's Play Facebook page. Visit www.facebook.com/savechildrensplay, and don't forget to 'Like' us! If you're not on Facebook , email us at savechildrensplay@ncb.org.uk to receive updates about the march and register an interest.

Let's make some noise for play!

Unite has also launched a survey to gauge the effects of cuts to play services. The survey can be accessed at www.surveymonkey.com/s/BYJSPW7 and runs until April.