Case Study 10

Project: National Audit of Play Strategies (2006)

Client: Children’s Play Council (CPC)

Outline: This project was commissioned by the CPC prior to the formation of Play England to discover the extent and distribution of existing Local Authorities Play Strategies across England. The audit also covered an investigation into the content of local Play Strategies along with an assessment of their quality.

Our Approach: The process involved the production, distribution, collection and analysis of a nationwide questionnaire survey of all of England’s Local Authorities. 386 local authorities were surveyed and a response rate of over 70% was achieved through persistent chasing by telephone and e-mail. The project was completed as required within 3 months.

Benefits: This project was part of the process led by the CPC to secure funding from the BIG lottery to establish a “regional infrastructure for supporting Children’s Play based upon an understanding of where the current capacity for strategic development is strong, where it is not and where its resources will be most needed” that is, to establish Play England. The long-term benefit was therefore its contribution to the establishment of Play England and its regional infrastructure.