After four years of unprecedented national investment in children's play, this major conference will consider its impact, explore how to sustain the momentum for change and ask 'what's next for play provision, playwork and playable public space?'.

The conference will celebrate the achievements to date of both  the government's Play Strategy and the Big Lottery Fund's Children's Play initiative. It will share learning for the future, including the impact that investing in play can have on a range of outcomes for children and families. We will hear how partnership working can embed planning for play within local decision making and put play at the hear of child-friendly communities.

The confernece is both for play professionals - exploring the role of playwork practice across a range of children's services - and for all those who want to improve children's well-being by addressing the full scope of their place in the public realm. Children's Trust commissioners, as well as partners working in health, schools, planning, housing, highwys, parks and green spaces each have an important role in realising the vision of neighbourhoods where all children can play and will find the event stimulating and valuable.

Agenda

The day will include high profile speakers on key themes for the future of all aspects of playable communities, including sustainability and partnership working, schools, and aspects of play provision including adventure and nature play.

Workshops on the following key themes:

·        Playwork and play provision

·        Children's services

·        Built environment

·        Voluntary and community sector