Learning through Play in Residential Care Ricky Sangster

Learning through Play in Residential Care Ricky Sangster – Manager Nicola Richardson – CRSCW Mandy Trude – CRSCW Casey Halford - CRSCW

Aims of today’s workshop: • Recap on the value of play • Link this to our role as Children’s Residential Social Worker • Explore types of play used in the home to support learning.

Importance of Play • Review by Play England conducted in January 2012 confirmed the value and importance of play for child development. • Happiness • Physical benefits • Cognitive benefits • Social benefits

What are these benefits? . • Research shows that play has many benefits for children, families and the wider community: • • increases self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-respect • improvements in physical and mental health • relationship skills • ability to learn new skills • promote imagination, independence and creativity • provide opportunities for developing social skills and learning • build resilience through risk taking and challenge, problem solving, and dealing with new and novel situations • provide opportunities to learn about their environment and the wider community http: //www. playengland. org. uk/about-us/why-play-is-important/ • •

What was your favourite toy or play activity as a child? How do you think it promoted your development? Turn to someone sitting next to you. • 5 minute conversation. • Feedback

Disabled children specifically • Past perceptions that children with disabilities, especially children with cognitive delay, are not interested in play. They dispute this idea. Disabilities can be varied, nevertheless, all disabled children have some capacity to engage in play. • Play needs of children with disabilities are varied because the nature of the disability and individual preferences. • Adults play an important role in facilitating play for children with disabilities. They need to be aware of the challenges faced by each child with a disability and know how to adapt the environment and encourage the child to explore play possibilities. • Sensory play is particularly important for many children with disabilities. • Play and Child Development, by J. L. Frost, S. C. Wortham, S. Reifel, 2008

Play and Professional Responsibilities • Job description states that as workers we should: • Meet children’s needs through development of a supportive environment • Identify needs and plan to support them • Provide a stimulating environment. • Contribute to the development of the unit • As childcare workers we need to develop our skills in order that we can effectively work with young people to support their development. • We need to take responsibility for ensuring that we have the tools and knowledge in order to provide these opportunities for young people.

A framework for viewing play Encouraging child development in the following areas: • • Physical Intellectual Linguistic Emotional • Social • We need to plan play provision around these areas to meet children and young people’s holistic needs

Group work Lets begin to play

On each table there are some resources that focus on different aspects of play we use with disabled children to enhance learning and encourage young people to learn.

What’s on the table’s • Play Dough – a range of sensory colours. • Imaginative – Play Mobil and hats • Mark Making – Basic skill before reading and writing. • Construction – Lego and Duplo • Sensory Suitcase.

Sensory Play Experiences. • How do you feel? • What skills are you using? • How would you adapt this for each individual child who you are working with? • How does play impact on the skills and knowledge that young people need to thrive in their life.

Framework for Play • Please take one. • If not enough, please leave your email address and we’ll send you one.