P4PLAY: People, Place, Policy and Practice for Play

HORIZON2020 ITN JOINT DOCTORAL NETWORK 2020-2024

Led by UCC, this four-year multi-partner H2020 European Joint Doctoral project aimed to explore the right to play in relation to children who experience play deprivation due to gender, poverty, disability, race and ethnicity, age and disadvantage. P4play consisted of a consortium of four universities (UCC, Lulea University, Sweden, ZHAW University, Switzerland and Queen Margaret University, Scotland) who formed the partnership to design and deliver this new structured doctoral programme in Occupational Science, the first of its kind in Europe. P4Play brought together leading international researchers in the field of occupational science and play for children at risk of play deprivation, along with15 partner organisations across Europe who are leaders in championing play rights of children.

Aims and Objectives

The P4PLAY research programme was oriented to address the four P’s of People, Place, Policy and Practice, and set out to:

1. To explore, examine and identify the form, function and meaning of play as an occupation in diverse sociocultural and spatial contexts, for children at risk of play deprivation, in order to progress understanding of play diversity in families and communities.
2. To progress play and socio-spatial inclusion in play policy, provision, and practice

 

Project Implementation

P4Play developed a sustainable doctoral programme that delivers ambitious and high-quality graduates to drive innovative research and practice in occupational science and therapy in Europe, to train a new generation of early-stage researchers (ESRs). The PhD in Occupational Science joint doctoral programme was formally approved in UCC in 2021.

During the four-year implementation, 8 ESRs were recruited to engage in a structured programme consisting of 60ECTs alongside conducting placements with partner organisations from 15 partners engaged in play advocacy and children’s rights across Europe. Each ESR also implemented their own research, through engaging with community groups, partner organisations and children as advisors and stakeholders. Project milestones achieved including designing and delivering three training schools, designing and delivering online PhD educational materials, publication of over 12 scientific publications and attendance at over 16 conferences, and adoption of joint supervision, progression, examination and awarding regulation agreements across three universities.

The P4PLAY project was co-ordinated by Dr. Helen Lynch and Professor Jeanne Jackson, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, UCC. Further information about the P4play consortium can be found on the P4play website: Our Consortium - People, Place, Policy and Practice for Play (P4Play)

Project Outputs

• THESES

Morgenthaler, T. 2025. Evaluating children’s outdoor play: developing the Playground Play Value and Usability Audit tool. PhD Thesis, University College Cork and Queen Margaret University, Scotland. https://hdl.handle.net/10468/17504

Bergin, M. (2024). Playing along (with)in the hard yard? Play, practices, and occupational justice in Irish schoolyards. (Doctoral dissertation). Luleå: Luleå University of Technology, and University College Cork Playing along (with)in the hard yard? Play, practices, and occupational justice in Irish schoolyards

Loudoun, F. M. 2024. Play occupations in digital spaces: children's experiences throughout childhood. PhD Thesis, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden and University College Cork.  https://hdl.handle.net/10468/16415

Wenger, I. 2023. Inclusive playgrounds: insights into play and inclusion from the perspectives of users and providers. PhD Thesis, Luleå: Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, and University College Cork. https://hdl.handle.net/10468/15946

• PEER-REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AND CHAPTERS:

Morgenthaler, T., Loebach. J., Lynch, H., Pentland, D., Kottorp, A., & Schulze, C. (2025). Developing the playground play value and usability audit (PVUA) tool: An evaluation of content validity via an expert panel. Children, Youth and Environments, 35(2), 93-122. https://muse.jhu.edu/journal/850 

Lynch, H., Jansens, R., & Prellwitz, M. (2024). Having a say in places to play- children with disabilities, voice, participation. In: K. Bishop & K. Dimoulias (eds). Routledge Handbook on the Influence of Built Environments of Diverse Childhoods. UK: Routledge. The Routledge Handbook on the Influence of Built Environments on Diver

Morgenthaler, T., Lynch, H., Loebach, J., Pentland, D., & Schulze, C. (2024). Using the theory of affordances to understand environment–Play transactions: Environmental taxonomy of outdoor play space features—A Scoping Review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy,  July/August 2024, Vol. 78(4), 7804185120. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2024.050606

Bergin, M., Boyle, B., Lilja, M., & Prellwitz, M. (2024). ‘Finding the play’ – exploring with occupational therapists practice possibilities in the context of Irish schoolyards. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 31(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/11038128.2024.2361649

Wenger, I., Kantartzis, S., Lynch, H., Schulze, C., & Jackson, J. (2024). Making secret hiding places: An occupation of childhood. Journal of Occupational Science, 31(1), 118–131. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2023.2240815

Veiga-Seijo, S., Amores, M. N., Leive, L., Melfi, D., Morrison, R., Tironi, T. M. M., … Santos, V. dos. (2024). Collective reflections to create knowledge spaces: Thinking about an inclusive, diverse, and participatory occupational science. Journal of Occupational Science, 31(1), 59–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2023.2292273

Bergin, M., Boyle, B., Lilja, M., & Prellwitz, M. (2024). Exploring with children, play in Irish primary schoolyards. International Journal of Play, 13(2), 157–172. https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2024.2355443

Loudoun, F. M., Larsson-Lund, M., Boyle, B., & Nyman, A. (2024). The process of negotiating and balancing digital play in everyday life: Adolescents’ narratives. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 31(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/11038128.2024.2435922

Loudoun, F. M., Boyle, B., & Larsson-Lund, M.  (2024). Play value of digital play spaces: Children's voices. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction 40, C. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2024.100649

Bergin, M., Boyle, B., Lilja, M., & Prellwitz, M. (2023). Irish Schoolyards: Teacher’s Experiences of Their Practices and Children’s Play-“It’s Not as Straight Forward as We Think”. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/19411243.2023.2192201

Bergin, M., Boyle, B., Lilja, M., & Prellwitz, M. (2023). Irish Traveller Children’s Play: A Scoping Review. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 32(12), 3860-3875. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02695-w

Morgenthaler, T., Schulze, C., Pentland, D., & Lynch, H. (2023). Environmental qualities that enhance outdoor play in community playgrounds from the perspective of children with and without disabilities: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 1763. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031763

Wenger, I., Lynch, H., Prellwitz, M., & Schulze, C. (2023). Children’s experiences of playground characteristics that contribute to play value and inclusion: Insights from a meta-ethnography. Journal of Occupational Science, Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2023.2248135

Loudoun, F. M., Boyle, B., & Larsson-Lund, M. (2023). Making choices in digital play spaces: Children’s experiences. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 30(8), 1460–1471. https://doi.org/10.1080/11038128.2023.2271050

Jansens, R., Prellwitz, M., Olofsson, A., & Lynch, H. (2023). The Representation of Children’s Participation in Guidelines for Planning and Designing Public Playspaces: A Scoping Review with “Best Fit” Framework Synthesis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(10), 5823. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20105823

Wenger, I., Prellwitz, M., Lundström, U., Lynch, H., & Schulze, C. (2023). Designing inclusive playgrounds in Switzerland: why is it so complex? Children’s Geographies, 21(3), 487–501. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2022.2077093

Loudoun, F., Boyle, B., & Larsson-Lund, M. (2022). Children's experiences of play in digital spaces: a scoping review. PLoS ONE, 17(8), e0272630. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272630

Wenger, I., Schulze, C., Lundstrom, U., & Prellwitz, M. (2021). Children’s perceptions of playing on inclusive playgrounds: A qualitative study. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 28(2), 136–146. https://doi.org/10.1080/11038128.2020.1810768

Morgenthaler, T., Lynch, H., Pentland, D., & Schulze, C. (2021). Environmental qualities of public playgrounds from the user perspective: A scoping review protocol https://osf.io/um7cd/

• POLICY CONTRIBUTIONS

Kapanadze, M., Fischl, C., Viana-Moldes, I., Howarth, J., Kraus, E., Costa, U., Todorova, L.,Hanßmann, K., Rozalina, V., Charret, L., De Wachter, Gomes, M. D., E., Jackson, J.,González-Román, L., Lynch, H., Poerbodipoero, S., & Vikstrom, S. (2024) TUNING Guidelines and Reference Points for the Design and Delivery of Degree Programmes in Occupational Therapy. University of Groningen: International Tuning Academy: https://www.calohee.eu/ , University of Groningen.

Lynch. H., Jackson, J., Moore, A., O'Connor, D. et al. (2021) Cork Freedom of the City Children’s Contribution. Cork City Council website: CORK FREEDOM OF THE CITY SUMMARY OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S SUBMISSIONS | Cork City Council's Online Consultation Portal

• CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Morgenthaler, T., Lynch, H., Pentland, D., & Schulze, C. (2023, June 6–9). Introducing a new audit to investigate play value for inclusion in community playgrounds [workshop]. Presented at the 22nd International Play Association Triennial World Conference, Glasgow, Scotland.

Lynch, H., Jackson, J., Schulze, C., Kantartzis, S., Prellwitz, M., Boyle, B., Pentland, D., Larsson-Lund, M., & Lilja, M. (2022) Designing PhD curriculum for occupational science: The outcome of a 3-year project to advance education and practice in Europe World Federation of Occupational Therapy Congress

Morgenthaler, T., Schulze, C., Lynch, H., & Pentland, D. (2022, September 15). Playing outdoor: A review of instruments that assess play value of community playgrounds for innovative context-based occupational therapy. 18th World Occupational Therapy Congress, Paris. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7081341

Jansens, R., Lynch, H., Prellwitz, M., & Olofsson, A. (2022) The occupation of citizenship: Exploring children's participation in public playspace planning World Occupational Science Conference Vancouver, Canada

Wenger, I., Prellwitz, M., Schulze, C. & Lynch, H. (2022) Playspaces within playspaces: Exploring children's experiences of play occupation within playgrounds World Occupational Science Conference Vancouver, Canada

Jackson, J. & Lynch, H. (2022) Developing doctoral programmes for the European knowledge society: An occupational science experience World Occupational Science Conference Vancouver, Canada

Bergin, M., & O Dea, A. (2022, October 14). Delivering a National virtual knowledge sharing series in a changing practice landscape.  ; ENOTHE conference, Tbilisi, Georgia, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7230154

Morgenthaler, T., & Schulze, C. (2022, March 5). Games, fun and excitement at the playground: what role does the environment play?. 6th Winterthur Ergo Summit, Winterthur. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6458358

Veiga-Seijo, S., Jackson, J., & Kantartzis, S. (2022, October 8). Play as an Occupation for Social Transformation: Creating dialogical spaces with Occupational Science. 10th Child in the City World Conference, Dublin. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7162560

Veiga-Seijo, S., Jackson, J. & Kantartzis, S. (2022, September 27). Researching Play through the lenses of Occupation-based Social Transformation. Inaugural World Occupational Science Conference (WOSC), Vancouver, Canada. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7116910

Veiga-Seijo, S., Casey, T., Jackson, J., & Kantartzis, S. (2022, May 27). Researching children's play collaboratively with a local play organisation. Creating synergies for children's rights in a disadvantaged community. ASSAM Interdisciplinary Conference: Social Justice and Civil Society, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6623379

Wenger, I., Morgenthaler, T., & Schulze, C. (2021). If I could build. Empowering the voices of children with disabilities in playground planning. 3rd Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Swiss Society for Early Childhood Research (SSECR), Zurich. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5733919

Morgenthaler, T., Bergin, M., Schulze, C., Prellwitz, M., Lynch, H., Boyle, B., Lilja, M., & Pentland, D. (2021). P4PLAY: RESEARCHING PEOPLE, PLACE, POLICY and PRACTICE for PLAY from the LENS of OCCUPATIONAL SCIENCE: Innovative evidence informed solutions in school and community contexts. Play 2021 A conference on children, play and space, Birmingham. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5159332

• COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS

MAY 24^TH 2024: Co-hosted Playing it Forward conference Cork in collaboration with Cork Playful Cities, LETS PLAY CORK. Playful Conference | Lets Play

MARCH 24^TH 2024: Hosted visiting team from Tokyo: Tokyo metropolitan team including young people and municipal workers, met for the day to take part in children’s participation workshops in Cork, Ireland : Projects | Child Friendly City - Cork

MARCH 31^ST 2022 Co-hosted Cork Child Friendly Cities event, with City Council

Through the looking glass – Play and Inclusion Tickets, Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 09:30 | Eventbrite

AUTUMN 2022 Delivered Play Training in East Lothian Play Association, Scotland: Autumn Play Training & AGM 2022 | East Lothian Play Association

• BLOG POSTS AND NEWSLETTERS

‘Empty playgrounds and lots of cosiness’, published 25^th March 2022

‘Child’s Play Research’, published 28^th March 2022

‘Creating a Play-Friendly Community with Children in Whitecraig: An opportunity to research play!’, published 14^th July 2022

‘Oito persoas facemos un doutorado europeo sobre a perda de xogo infantil’, published 17th August 2022

‘P4PLAY Newsletter Issue 2, October 2022’, published 28^th October 2022

‘ESR 5 Rianne: ‘Researcher in the Spotlight’ feature on AOTI newsletter’, published 21^st December 2022

‘Designing inclusive playgrounds in Switzerland: why is it so complex?’, published 7^th June 2022

‘Just for the sake of it! Playing in digital world: Toxic? Or a space for creativity and imagination?’, published 14^th July 2022

‘Insight into the City’, published 2^nd August 2022

‘P4PLAY Make an Impression at the Inaugural World Occupational Science Conference, Vancouver’, published 12^th August 2022

‘P4PLAY Training School 3: Playing at the Top of Europe’, published 22^nd September 2023

‘Michelle’s research on Irish playgrounds is hitting the headlines’, published 21sr September 2023

‘UCC Bright Futures Awards’, published 2^nd October 2023

‘Zenodo: The place to find every research output from P4PLAY!’, published 17^th November 2023

‘P4PLAY Newsletter for 2023’, published 23^rd December 2023

•  RESOURCES

Resources are available at the following link: Resources - P4Play

 

Project Funder & Duration

P4play was funded by Horizon 2020 from 2019-2024

 

UCC Project Team

Dr Helen Lynch and Professor Jeanne Jackson (CO-PI); Dr Bryan Boyle; UCC Academy (Rebecca Buckley, Donna O’Regan, Lara Diez).

Secondment partners are shown in the table below and include a National Government Department (Hub na nOg, The Department of Children and Youth Affairs of Ireland), along with a National Policy advisor: (Centre of Excellence in Universal Design), as well as a Play Advisory body (Play Scotland), an international industry partner who design and develop playspaces and toys (AIJU), preschool and community play providers (Wallaroo, Ireland and East Lothian Play Association, Scotland) and a child participation NGO (Speeltuinbende). One partner is a European network for Occupational Therapists in higher education (ENOTHE). This diversity of partners represents the diverse nature of play practice from advocacy and policy thorough to community engagement.