PLAYLINK & Common Knowledge publications

• Places for Play, by Sandra Melville
  Illustrates some of the many creative ways in which children's play outdoors is being catered for. By demonstrating what is possible, it is intended to inspire a more imaginative approach to the creation of play spaces and public space, one founded on understanding the needs and wishes of children.
  • Information on ordering Places for Play from Free Play Network
• Play at School
  Report on a PLAYLINK project with three primary schools. Raises general points about organisational change
  • Download 'Play at School'(PDF format)
• Learning to Grow: no simple formulas
  A joint Colchester Women's Aid/Common Knowledge paper on how one organisation set about changing itself
  • Download 'Learning to Grow: No Simple formulas'(PDF format)
• Independence of Mind: the Relationship of Councillors and Officers to Outside Bodies.
  A Common Knowledge paper
  • Download 'Independence of Mind'(PDF format)
• Measure or Value: exploring outcomes from play provision
  1998 PLAYLINK/Portsmouth City conference papers on outcomes from play. Includes interesting contributions from Andrew Graham, Acting Master and Fellow at Balliol College, Oxford; Francois Matarasso, Principal of Comedia and a case study from the Play at School project.
  Hard copy from PLAYLINK. £5.00 including P&P
  • Order from PLAYLINK
• Organisational Orthodoxy and the Individual Talent
  A Common Knowledge paper
  
  “A 'perfect' organisation would be entirely impersonal … it would duplicate accepted practice relentlessly … certain in an uncertain world … it would fail”.
  • Download 'Organisational Orthodoxy and the Individual Talent'(PDF format)
• The Limitations of Management Training for Trustees
  A Common Knowledge paper arguing that training trustees is of some, but limited, utility.
  • Download 'The Limitations of Management Training for Trustees'(PDF format)
• Guidance on integrating Cultural and Community Strategies
  Common Knowledge response to consultation produced for DCMS local government team
  • Download 'Creative Cultures'(PDF format)
• Play as Culture
  Incorporating Play in Cultural Strategies. Although Government has moved away from requiring authorities to develop a Cultural Strategy, this PLAYLINK publication remains relevant for its analysis of the misconceptions held about play, about how play is a form of culture, and general points about policy development.
  Hard copy from PLAYLINK. £5.00 including P&P
  • Download 'Play as Culture'(PDF format)
  • Order from PLAYLINK
• Promoting Positive Outcomes, May 2003
  A PLAYLINK report on the impact of OFSTED registration on play and open access provision. Worth looking at for its analysis on how children's play opportunities can be constrained when OFSTED inspectors with limited or no understanding of play inspect provision run by providers unable or too timid to articulate an understanding about play and the objectives of play provision.
  • Download 'Promoting Positive Outcomes'(PDF format)
• Reared in Captivity: restoring the freedom to play
  Papers of the 1999 joint PLAYLINK/Portsmouth conference. Includes interesting contributions from Dr Frank Furudi on 'Why are we afraid for our children?' and Kate Moorcock, principal research co-ordinator for Families for Freedom on 'Don't blame the parents: the origins of child related fears'.
  Hard copy from PLAYLINK. £5.00 including P&P
  • Order from PLAYLINK

External publications

• A Playworker's Taxonomy of Play Types (2nd Edition)
  Notes linking daily playwork practice to the research on play by Bob Hughes, PlayEd
  • Information on ordering from PlayEd
• Best Play: what play provision should do for children
  Guidance from the 'Outcomes Project' in which PLAYLINK was a partner
  • Download 'Best Play'(PDF format)
  • Order direct from NCB
• Making Sense: playwork in practice
  Stories demonstrating quality playwork and how to link to QA systems
  • Order direct from NCB
• Open for Play
  Helps play providers and Ofsted inspectors to exploit the National Daycare Standards to support play provision.
  • Order direct from NCB
• Play Environments: A Question of Quality
  An introduction to the ideas & principles including assessment criteria by Bob Hughes, PlayEd
  • Information on ordering from PlayEd
• Risk & Safety in Play: the Law & Practice for Adventure Playgrounds (ISBN: 0-419-22370-3)
  The essential code of practice; has application for many outdoor playspaces
  • Information on ordering from Routledge