Parents banned from play area

[gorionine]

I have just seen this in the news and it left me a bit What next?

Article here

but does he advocate play rangers, se? Seems at odds with his whole philosophy.

why? it's so parents can send their children out alone but know that there will be someone there trained in first aid/child protection etc IF the child needs someone to talk to or help sort out an argument/problem etc.

they won't get involved in the child's play unless asked. but not all play rangers are based in adventure playgrounds. most are outreach workers who go into parks/deprived areas etc.

I think that goes against everything he says on his homepage and will only encourage people's fear and dependency on adult intervention.

no it's been proved that more children do come out since the scheme started.

yes, I don't doubt that more children go out. I just think it is far removed from children going out to play, unsupervised, and free of irrational parental fear.

but surely it's a start? better than them staying at home on the pc or whatever

I don't think it's a start, no. Because once it is established I cannot imagine them ever being withdrawn and we are left with a heavy-handed level of adult supervision at great cost to councils.

And then the fear will escalate once more when the first case of a ranger commiting a sexual offence comes to the attention of the press.

that's a very cynical view

in reality it's popular and has had great feedback from parent's and children alike.

I don't think my first paragraph was cynical at all.

The second, yes, you're right. It will happen, though.

if you take that view, surely you'd be scared to leave your child anywhere?

do you have a play ranger programme where you live? you should check it out. you might be surprised to see it isn't this over supervised thing you're making it out to be.

I don't take that view, not at all. But it is the irrational view that many parents do take these days.

My dds go to the local park and the park in teh centre of town all by themselves and have done for a few years now. So do many many other children.

then you're lucky that they have a park you're happy to let them go to alone.

it's just such a shame that the first real press the rangers have has been this story.

I am lucky to have that park but it's not as if I live in a pretty leafy town. Far from it.

All very good points about children playing unsupervised or with little "grown up intervention".

When I started the thread I was not really thinking about that I must say. My concern was with the fact that parents are considered as a potential threat to children , not that they could interfere with the freedom of playing.

I am all for children to play without supervision in an place that is safe. I am against the idea of being considered as a danger for children because I am an unchecked adult. No wonder parents are paranoid about things happening to their children with policies that implies adults are all without exeption nourishing bad intentions towars other people children.

I'm still not sure why parents are banned.
I don't understand how it can be thought okay for 5yo to be wandering around unsupervised.

Why can't the park be open to all but with the playrangers to keep an eye on things or to be someone that unaccompanied children can turn to for help?
Isn't that a bit the way parks used to be with park-keepers?

All together now:

"it's poli'ical correctness gawn MAAAAAAD!"

Good point about park keeper. The big difference being that the park keeper's job is gardening, litter related tasks who just happens to be a responsible adult. I think that is far preferable to adults whose job is it to supervise and play with children.

What if the children don't want adults to supervise their play. Can they just do their own thing?

course they can do their own thing. they're just there for children who do want an adult to talk with. our rangers are young teenagers too not grown up weirdos.

the reality is so far removed from the scaremongering this story has generated.

it does seem annoying that they changed their rules suddenly and people have got the complete wrong end of the stick and it's damaged a worthwile cause with mis information. again.

there are still park keepers though they aren't based at the park all the time. would you prefer your child asks them for help if they need a plaster?

I agree SEA

the whole idea of play rangers has been bulldozed to pieces

I can see the positive side of having a playranger who was there for the benefit of the children rather than a park-keeper keeping the park tidy.

But I still don't understand why it can't be open to children with their parents and unaccompanied children.

If the park-keeper duties also covered being in charge of the first-aid box then I'd have no problem with my child asking him/her for a plaster. Although I think mine would come home if it was something bad enough to need a plaster.

Kids don't need to ask anyone for a plaster. They'd come home - crying or not - as always.