RoSPA Play Quality Awards : Site Awards
RoSPA has always believed that play areas should be open to all, regardless of ability. It also believes that a significant way to improve safety of play areas is to increase their play value. By making equipment more fun to use, children will play in the manner intended rather than in more hazardous ways or in dangerous locations such as roads, railway lines, river or canal banks.
RoSPA Play Quality Site Awards
RoSPA Play Quality Site Awards therefore recognise excellence in play value and inclusion for disabled people at individual play areas.
Following an assessment of the site by RoSPA Inspectors, awards will be made at four levels against set Judging Criteria (
PDF format 44kb).
Five star, Four star, Three star and Enterprise
- Five Star - An excellent standard play area with regard to use by disabled persons and play value.
- Four Star - A very high standard play area with regard to use by disabled persons and play value.
- Three Star - A high standard play area with regard to use by disabled persons and play value.
- Enterprise - An Enterprise award may be made to smaller play areas operated by small Town, Parish and Community Councils or Voluntary Groups where, in RoSPA’s opinion, considerable effort has been made, (within the resources and environment available), to comply with the ideals of the scheme.
Whilst an award is not any form of guarantee of the ongoing safety of the site, awards will only be given to sites which meet strict safety criteria at the time of assessment. (Subsequent events such as vandalism, weather, usage and maintenance failures may change the safety of the site.)
Award winners will be eligible to display a RoSPA Play Quality Award plaque on the relevant play area.
Entry Notes
‘Inclusion’ means opportunities for disabled children to enjoy the same experience as non-disabled children. This may, or may not, involve equipment specifically designed for disabled children. For instance, if an opportunity for a non-disabled child to swing is present (say a conventional swing) this does not mean that there has to be a special swing seat on a conventional frame for disabled children. On a Toddlers area a standard cradle seat may be judged adequate. For older children a single point tyre swing may provide a platform upon which even the most severely disabled child can be laid, or alternatively maybe a U shaped net on a multiplay would provide a point at which a severely disabled child can be laid and provided with a swinging experience. The important principle of inclusion is that disabled children are not segregated on a play area but can participate as near as possible to their non-disabled friends or siblings. Many play areas which were not designed for disabled children may well meet the principle of ‘inclusion’. For more details on the RoSPA attitude to Inclusion
It is also recognised that there will always be some children for whom special equipment and special areas need to be provided in a controlled environment. These normally involve equipment which is unsafe for other children and for the purposes of assessing inclusion it has been assumed that these children will not be using the area. It is also appreciated that children with different disabilities have different requirements and it is not possible to make a play area totally suitable for all impairments. The provision of an award therefore does not mean that a play area is suitable for every disabled child, just that it has been made as inclusive as is practical.
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RoSPA, Playground Management Ltd, The Old Barn, Wicklesham Lodge, Faringdon, Oxfordshire SN7 7PN
Telephone: 01367 244600 Fax: 01367 244112
email: awards@rospaplaysafety.co.uk
