Starcatchers and Children 1st welcomed South Ayrshire Council Leader to outdoor creative play sessions, Oot Playin
South Ayrshire Council Leader, Peter Henderson, visited children and families at Girvan Primary School on Thursday during ‘Oot Playin’, a series of creative play sessions run by children’s charity Children 1st and partners Starcatchers, Scotland’s arts and early years organisation.
Throughout the pandemic, young families have had less opportunities to get involved in play sessions and other activities that support children’s development. Starcatchers says that advocating for ongoing, early artistic encounters for Scotland’s youngest children is more important now than ever before.
Anna Downie, Starcatchers’ Community Engagement Manager said:
“Starcatchers’ community engagement work is centred around a child-led experience, that responds to the needs of participants. Working with partners, Children 1st, means our artists can craft sessions that work for families, build trust and make sure the project is embedded in the local community.”
Michelle Robertson, Children 1st South Ayrshire Family Wellbeing Hub Service Manager, said: “It’s so important for wee children and their families to have opportunities to play and spend quality time together. Starcatchers always brings loads of fun to projects we create together, and you can see the children learning so much every week. We’re delighted that Peter Henderson is coming along to see the sessions in action.”
Children 1st and Starcatchers have worked together on multiple projects to support the community across Ayrshire. They are currently also running Creative Kin in North Ayrshire, which supports kinship carers – relatives and family friends who care for a child when their birth parents are unable to.