The important role of Parents and Carers

York’s Parenting Strategy promotes the importance of play as one of the most important aspects of family life, in building good relationships and highlighting the crucial role of parents and carers in helping their children to play. Parents and carers are supported to recognise the benefits of play through:

• The Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities course
• The Play Team contributing to the Early Start course for parents run by Adult Education.
• The "Playing Out - A guide for parents" leaflet developed as part of the Playbuilder project aims to encourage parents to let their children experience what they did as a child. It includes a myth busting section relating to common fears about play, to try to help alleviate fears and highlighting the benefits, about letting children out to play.
• Through the Parenting Strategy itself.

Play supports children’s health and social development and plays a strong role in promoting positive behaviour. Parenting work also supports parents to consider how they manage the balance between the need to offer risk and the need to keep children safe from harm.

Supporting information for parents

• New - Playing Out – a guide for parents – A leaflet that provided information about helping your children play out safely.
• Did you know that you can also loan play equipment from your library, for FREE?For more information please ask at you local branch

Downloadable resources and useful websites

• Search online for services available across the city
• For information about York’s Libraries
• For information about, Shine, schools holiday activities, plus much more
• For information about the Me Too, subsidy funding scheme including eligibility
• For information about community groups in York visit Yortime
• For information relating to health and safety and children activities see the Health and Safety Executive
• Just 30 things to play with your child