Tools for evaluating local play provision:

Tools for evaluating local play provision: A technical guide to Play England local play indicators
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1.2 The technical guide
This guidance has been prepared to provide local authorities with a clear
understanding of the performance indicators for play. It provides clear
descriptions and definitions of the indicators, data sources and methods for
collecting and analysing the data. In detail the guidance:
.. explains the purpose of the performance indicators and the
performance information system
.. ensures that the definitions are precise but practicable
.. explains what should be measured
.. explains how the data will be checked and audited
.. explains how the data should be collected
.. provides data collection forms to ensure that it is possible to match data
that comes from different sources
.. explains the technical properties of each indicator, example, with
respect to sampling scheme, response rate in surveys, and precision
.. provides the protocols on how the data will be checked and audited
.. explains how the data will be analysed, and whether there will be any
adjustment for context
.. indicates how the results will be presented, including the protocols
whereby institutions or individuals may be named publicly
.. demonstrates how uncertainty will be conveyed to safeguard against
over-interpretation and misinterpretation.
The indicators and the process of collecting the necessary data have been
piloted by six local authorities. These were:
Chelmsford District Council A largely rural area in west Essex based on the
county town of Chelmsford but also covering a number of smaller villages.
Chelmsford is the only district to have participated and has provided valuable
pointers on the capacity of districts to deliver these indicators.
Kirklees Council A metropolitan council in West Yorkshire centred on the
large town of Huddersfield and also covering a range of smaller towns and
villages. Kirklees has a large range of play provision.
Manchester City Council An entirely urban metropolitan council covering a
large and diverse community which includes a major city centre and inner city
undergoing significant regeneration, and suburban areas.
Bolton Metropolitan Council Covering the large urban area of Bolton and its
immediate surroundings, northwest of Manchester.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea A West London borough
that has some affluent districts alongside wards that are included in the 10 per
cent most deprived in England (Indices of Deprivation, 2007).
Bristol City Council. A large unitary authority in the west of England that
covers a primarily urban area with a diverse population base.
Tools for evaluating local play provision: A technical guide to Play England local play indicators
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We are very grateful to the many staff involved at each of these authorities for
their constructive and enthusiastic approach to piloting the indicators and to
their contribution to refining this guidance.
1.3 The local play indicators
The performance indicators for play provision are defined in Table 1.
Table 1: Local performance indicators
Indicator 1 Participation Method of
generation
Description The percentage of all children and young people
aged from birth to 16 years (from all social and
ethnic groups, including those who are disabled),
who play out for at least four hours each week.
Household survey
Indicator 2 Access to a variety of facilities and spaces Method of
generation
Description The percentage of children and young people
aged from birth to 16 years that have access to at
least three different types of space or facility
doorstep, local and neighbourhood), at least one
of which is a dedicated place for play and informal
recreation, which are all within easy walking or
cycling distance as defined in Table 3.
Open space and
play strategy
audits
GIS mapping
Indicator 3 Quality of facilities and spaces Method of
generation
Description The proportion of play spaces and facilities with
high scores for location, play value and care and
maintenance as assessed using the Playable
Space Quality Assessment Tool.
Quality
Assessment Tool
Indicator 4 Satisfaction Method of
generation
Description The percentage of all children and young people
(from all social and ethnic groups, including those
who are disabled), who think that the range and
quality of play facilities and spaces they are able
to access in their local neighbourhood is good/very
good.
Questionnaire
survey of children
and young people

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1.4 Practical steps towards a successful data collection and
analysis
From the experience of other schemes, it is important that you try to ensure
that the following requirements are fulfilled.
Clear leadership is essential for good project management. In particular it is
important that you try to avoid split responsibilities. You will need a project
manager with the authority to drive it through. It is also important for you to
have a rapid replacement policy, should the local project manager become ill
or leave.
It is important to establish clear and unambiguous communications
procedures with internal teams, particularly regarding the protocols for data
collection.
It is essential for you to set a clear timetable for your responsibilities in the
procedures for data collection, data analysis and reporting of the results. This
should obviously be compatible with the timetable for data collection. Build in
some slippage time because it is inevitable that there will be delays in
obtaining or analysing some of the data.
Finally, the project manager needs to be clear on a number of things:
.. First, on the definitions of what you are measuring and reporting on. The
next section will help you on this. Any ambiguities remaining in these
definitions should be resolved by discussion with the consultants, not by
second-guessing what should be the right way or by dialogue with other
local authorities. It is vital that local authorities measure and report the
same data, for the reliability of performance measurement.
.. Second, on the procedures for obtaining the data needed to measure the
four performance indicators. You need to either implement these
procedures or monitor them being conducted by other organisations.
.. Third, on the desired outputs of the pilot, ie the measures of the four
performance indicators. These measures have to be consistently
presented by all local authorities.
1.5 Definitions
1.5.1 Designated and non-designated play places
Places where children play that may or may not be specifically designed for
play or informal recreation (designated or non-designated) and may or may
not be supervised by staff trained in playwork or other skills.
The play place grid (Table 2) give examples of the types of facility and space
which offer children and young people the best opportunities for play and
informal recreation and which should form the basis of provision where
children should be able to play freely and free of charge in their own
neighbourhoods.