Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 31 October 2013
31 Oct 2013 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Play Strategy Action Plan
I welcome the Scottish Government’s action plan. We judge a society by how it looks after its children. As many members have mentioned, we have a lot to learn from the time when we grew up—a time when, as children, we had more space and time to play.
There is little time in modern life in which to consider our children’s wellbeing. I am proud to hear that there is consensus in the chamber about the importance of developing a play strategy. I was delighted that the minister reminded us what investing in the early years repays in economic terms. Let me repeat that point: every £1 invested in early intervention will generate an eventual saving of up to £9 for the Scottish taxpayer.
As James Dornan did, I had a fantastic childhood. As members know, I was not born in this country but in a small farming village in France. I was close to nature and I had great support from my family and the community. If one wants a picture of how best to go about that they should purchase the last Asterix comic—it happens to take place in Scotland—“Asterix and the Picts”. The final frame of every book always shows the reader what happens when Asterix and Obelix return from their adventure. There is a great celebration with a lot of drinking and eating but, in the foreground, there are children playing. That is very important, because play is how we define our society and we should ensure that children are always able to play.
I chose Scotland not only as the place to work and live in, but as the place where my children should grow up. There is the same type of community, but it is a different and busy life living on the outskirts of Aberdeen.
We are pleased to welcome SensationALL, the charity that Mark McDonald mentioned. What do I remember about my children growing up? Perhaps I should defer to what a member who spoke before me said: we should not leave children to play on their own. I am not saying that they should be supervised; rather, that we should interact with children. Children should not only have space to play, but have space that we share. I remember my seven and eight-year-old neighbours knocking at the door and asking me to go out and play. To the surprise of my children, they wanted me to go out and kick a ball with them. We need to understand that play is great, but children should not only play on their own, but interact with adults. As George Adam said, adults can play, too.
I particularly like the Scottish Government’s attitude and its progressive approach to legislation. Similar to the curriculum for excellence, which has come into our communities and schools, the strategy is based around engagement. I particularly like the idea of the three phases. Phase 1 is engagement to help to inform the development of a national overarching strategy and to seek—this is important—the views of children and young people. We cannot do anything in legislation about children without involving them right from the start, at phase 1.
Under phase 2, depending on the views that are gathered in phase 1—I like this because there is no top-to-bottom approach; rather, people are consulted on their views before the strategies are developed—we develop detailed outcomes and strategies for parenting of children of different ages. That is very interesting. Under phase 3, the focus will be on producing something of practical value to parents; although legislation is important, it must have practical value, especially for parents.
I, too, add my thanks to the many contributors who are here today and those across the play sector and beyond who offered their views during development of the strategy. I will name some of the organisations that formed the working group: Inspiring Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Smart Play Network, Play Scotland, the Scottish Pre-School Play Association, NHS Health Scotland—health is part of what the strategy is about—Capability Scotland, Education Scotland, Creative STAR Learning Company, the Learning through Landscapes Trust, the International Play Association Scotland: Promoting the Child’s Right to Play and, of course, Tam Baillie, who is Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People.
I will say how important Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People is in our communities. He came to the region that I represent on 16 November 2011. I remember the date and I will tell members why. When he came to Aberdeenshire, he met the local authority to discuss proposed legislation from the Scottish Government. He went to Portlethen academy to meet 12 members of the school council. In Westhill academy, he met school-based youth workers and addressed no fewer than 25 members of the school council on his role. The important point is that his visit meant that the community council and the local authority took decisions to make things better for the children in our communities.
The Scottish Government’s vision and commitment to extending the powers of Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People is crucial to enabling Tam Baillie to undertake more investigations in relation to individual children and young people.
I am delighted to welcome Scotland’s first national play strategy. Children’s play is crucial to Scotland’s social and economic wellbeing. I share the minister’s ambition and believe that an independent Scotland will become the best place in the world to grow up.
15:36
There is little time in modern life in which to consider our children’s wellbeing. I am proud to hear that there is consensus in the chamber about the importance of developing a play strategy. I was delighted that the minister reminded us what investing in the early years repays in economic terms. Let me repeat that point: every £1 invested in early intervention will generate an eventual saving of up to £9 for the Scottish taxpayer.
As James Dornan did, I had a fantastic childhood. As members know, I was not born in this country but in a small farming village in France. I was close to nature and I had great support from my family and the community. If one wants a picture of how best to go about that they should purchase the last Asterix comic—it happens to take place in Scotland—“Asterix and the Picts”. The final frame of every book always shows the reader what happens when Asterix and Obelix return from their adventure. There is a great celebration with a lot of drinking and eating but, in the foreground, there are children playing. That is very important, because play is how we define our society and we should ensure that children are always able to play.
I chose Scotland not only as the place to work and live in, but as the place where my children should grow up. There is the same type of community, but it is a different and busy life living on the outskirts of Aberdeen.
We are pleased to welcome SensationALL, the charity that Mark McDonald mentioned. What do I remember about my children growing up? Perhaps I should defer to what a member who spoke before me said: we should not leave children to play on their own. I am not saying that they should be supervised; rather, that we should interact with children. Children should not only have space to play, but have space that we share. I remember my seven and eight-year-old neighbours knocking at the door and asking me to go out and play. To the surprise of my children, they wanted me to go out and kick a ball with them. We need to understand that play is great, but children should not only play on their own, but interact with adults. As George Adam said, adults can play, too.
I particularly like the Scottish Government’s attitude and its progressive approach to legislation. Similar to the curriculum for excellence, which has come into our communities and schools, the strategy is based around engagement. I particularly like the idea of the three phases. Phase 1 is engagement to help to inform the development of a national overarching strategy and to seek—this is important—the views of children and young people. We cannot do anything in legislation about children without involving them right from the start, at phase 1.
Under phase 2, depending on the views that are gathered in phase 1—I like this because there is no top-to-bottom approach; rather, people are consulted on their views before the strategies are developed—we develop detailed outcomes and strategies for parenting of children of different ages. That is very interesting. Under phase 3, the focus will be on producing something of practical value to parents; although legislation is important, it must have practical value, especially for parents.
I, too, add my thanks to the many contributors who are here today and those across the play sector and beyond who offered their views during development of the strategy. I will name some of the organisations that formed the working group: Inspiring Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Smart Play Network, Play Scotland, the Scottish Pre-School Play Association, NHS Health Scotland—health is part of what the strategy is about—Capability Scotland, Education Scotland, Creative STAR Learning Company, the Learning through Landscapes Trust, the International Play Association Scotland: Promoting the Child’s Right to Play and, of course, Tam Baillie, who is Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People.
I will say how important Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People is in our communities. He came to the region that I represent on 16 November 2011. I remember the date and I will tell members why. When he came to Aberdeenshire, he met the local authority to discuss proposed legislation from the Scottish Government. He went to Portlethen academy to meet 12 members of the school council. In Westhill academy, he met school-based youth workers and addressed no fewer than 25 members of the school council on his role. The important point is that his visit meant that the community council and the local authority took decisions to make things better for the children in our communities.
The Scottish Government’s vision and commitment to extending the powers of Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People is crucial to enabling Tam Baillie to undertake more investigations in relation to individual children and young people.
I am delighted to welcome Scotland’s first national play strategy. Children’s play is crucial to Scotland’s social and economic wellbeing. I share the minister’s ambition and believe that an independent Scotland will become the best place in the world to grow up.
15:36
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
Good afternoon. The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-08099, in the name of Aileen Campbell, on the play strategy action plan.
The Minister for Children and Young People (Aileen Campbell)
SNP
Maria Montessori said that “Play is the work of the child.” If we are a country that truly wants to become the best place to grow up in, we need to become a ...
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab)
Lab
On the UNCRC, is the minister still considering changing the wording in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill to “having due regard to” as opposed to...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
The Education and Culture Committee has taken a lot of evidence on that, and the process will be on-going through the stages of the bill. We are certainly ve...
Mark McDonald (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
SNP
Does the minister take a view on the prevalence of “No ball games” signs in many areas, which often act as a deterrent to outdoor play for children and which...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
Absolutely. As I said, people should view open spaces as being equally for the benefit of children across the country and should allow children to access the...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I doubt that anybody will quibble with the central ethos of the play strategy that we are debating this afternoon, as it goes without saying that play is par...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
I take on board Liz Smith’s points. I know that we have an ideological difference when it comes to the approaches in the bill, but she is keen on culture cha...
Liz Smith
Con
I thank the minister. I do not disagree with that. There are some deep-seated issues, and I heard the minister say earlier that she believes that in some sit...
Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to open for the Labour Party in this debate and to welcome the publication of the Scottish Government’s play strategy and action plan. I have wo...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
I made it clear in my opening speech that the strategy was not just about the play sector but about bringing lots of different departments together. For exam...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
I must ask Jayne Baxter to draw to a close.
Jayne Baxter
Lab
Okay. I thank the minister for her comments.There are some big aspirations in the action plan, and I hope that the minister will return to the chamber in the...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
We now come to the open debate. I remind members that if they wish to speak in the debate, they should press their request-to-speak buttons. That is particul...
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome this debate and the Government’s play strategy action plan. The Scottish Government says that it wants Scotland to be the best place in the world t...
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the minister for bringing this debate to the chamber, and particularly for her excellent timing. I do not imagine that I am the only one here who wil...
Liz Smith
Con
Ken Macintosh has made an exceptionally valid point. Does he agree that we should be concerned when what I would call common sense about some children’s play...
Ken Macintosh
Lab
I entirely agree with that point, and I might get the chance later to talk about the risk-averse culture. Yes, there are stories of people banning conkers an...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I remind members that speeches should be of six minutes. I call Mark McDonald, to be followed by James Dornan.15:17
Mark McDonald (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP)
SNP
On 7 August, part of the city centre of Aberdeen was essentially turned into a playground, with 250 to 300 children participating in the Aberdeen national pl...
James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
SNP
There is no doubt that there are clear long-term economic and social benefits attached to play, and that investing in children’s play is one of the most impo...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Before Christian Allard begins, I remind members to address one other by their full names, not only because that is required by protocol, but because it make...
Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the Scottish Government’s action plan. We judge a society by how it looks after its children. As many members have mentioned, we have a lot to lear...
Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to contribute to this important debate on the Scottish Government’s play strategy and the wider efforts that are being made to ensure that Scotl...
Fiona McLeod (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
It is extremely important that the minister talked about the fact that article 31 of the UNCRC mentions that every child has the right to play. That is the r...
Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
It is too easy to dismiss play as a trivial activity for children. The reality is that play is about much more than just having fun. Like many other members,...
Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Like all my colleagues in the chamber, I fully support the development of a national play strategy. Play and recreation are essential to the health and wellb...
Aileen Campbell
SNP
I have a constructive point to make. I hope that Mary Fee would welcome the early years task force, which is the group that administers the change fund. Fami...
Mary Fee
Lab
I thank the minister for that clarity. Those families are an important section of society, and I am pleased that they will not be overlooked.I fully support ...
Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I support the play strategy, as a father and grandfather. My grandson Ruaridh is now a year and a half old, and he teaches his grandfather how to play—of cou...