Nearly 100 delegates attended the one-day event at Culloden Academy, supported by OOSCF (Out of School Care Federation) and sponsored by HIE (Highland and Islands Enterprise) and the Highland Council.
The conference was opened by Highland councillor David Alston, who outlined his local authority's approach to play and childcare provision. The vice-chair of IPA (International Play Association) Scotland, Theresa Casey, gave a presentation demonstrating how she set up a play provision centre in Bangkok -the first in Thailand. She also told delegates about the wider role of the IPA and the 'Putting Playwork on the Map' project - a roadshow promoting Article 31 and the child's right to play - which will be running in the Highlands and Islands from April to July this year.
There were nine workshops on offer for delegates, covering step dancing, newsletters by computer, stone carving and windsocks, tin whistle, outdoor cooking and games, innovative approaches to drama, drug awareness, bullying and environmental play.
Anne McIntosh, a playleader from the Falkirk area who led the outdoor cooking and games workshop, said, 'I'm the only workshop leader who really prays for good weather and it must have worked this time.
"Everyone who cooked their sausages managed to light their personal barbecues quite easily. Then we toasted our marshmallows and turned them into 'sumores' (marshmallows with chocolate digestive biscuits) and had a game of Bat and Moth in the spring sunshine - it was a wonderful day.'
SPRITO Scotland's earlier conference - 'Towards 2005' - was held in Glasgow on February 10, and focused on the future for playwork training. It featured keynote speakers from the Scottish Social Services Council, the Scottish Road Safety Campaign and an inspiring address by Irene McGugan, MSP and saw the launch of the Scottish Progression Award: Accessing Playwork, and the pilot in Scotland of the new Playwork Assessors' Training Programme.
* 'School's Out', a major framework for the development of out-of-school provision in Scotland was published last month by the Scottish Executive (see news, 20 February, Nursery World Scotland). It is available on www.scotland.gov.uk.
