How has Covid-19 Impacted on Playwork – One Year on from Returning from Lockdown

Abstract

ABSTRACT When playwork settings re-opened in July 2020 after the first lockdown in March 2020, playwork as a profession demonstrated its adaptable and flexible nature for children to access the provision. This included open access provision becoming closed access and bookable, a reduction in the number of children, resources, and space to play, and increased cleaning. As part of a longitudinal study, now one year how are open access settings (adventure playgrounds and mobile play provision) and closed access settings (breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, and holiday playschemes) operating? An online survey was completed by 42 participants, 31 who ran closed access and 11 who ran open-access settings. Results indicated that all settings were running the same number of days and hours pre-March lockdown, however, fewer children are attending with a smaller number of staff, this being more noticeable within closed access settings. It appears the open access adventure playgrounds are operating as they were pre-March 2020 lockdown, however, the closed access childcare provision, e.g. after-school clubs are still running as they were in July 2020. Although funding has been made available to support aspects such as extra cleaning, playwork settings are concerned with being able to open and continue to operate.