PARS 

empowering adults, empowering children

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Discover the transformative
power of PARS 

PARS is...

An evidence-based model for adults who want to restore childhood

Developed from research by Dr Shelly Newstead, PARS is a systematic learning framework which empowers adults to let children be children. The PARS model includes tried-and-tested theories, methods and techniques which are used around the world by parents and professionals to reclaim childhood for children at home and in supervised settings. 

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Watch Dr Shelly Newstead, the creator of PARS, talk about how and why she invented the PARS model.

The PARS model for me really is revolutionary. However, the PARS model alone is not the secret, it is the methods and theories that make its practical application easy and effective in real life scenarios for play observers. The influence this will have on my own practice will be considerable and something I will take with me for the foreseeable future.

Tom Nethercott, Cambridge, UK

The PARS model gives me some relaxation, because I now have found a way of working with children which fits me. In the past, I listened to others, followed others, in their way of working with children. I’m glad I feel myself no longer obligated to entertain children with hand puppets, crazy voices, to run in the wood pretending I’m a monster, to imitate a bouncing Freek Vonk to enthuse the children or behave like a boring teacher and tell the children what they see and what it is. 

Laurien van der Vaart, The Netherlands

After the PARS course, I see children can not only play, but also innovate without teaching. The PARS course made me give up my previous ideas towards children’s play. I’ll keep practicing to real play and real happiness to the kids.

Zhang Yichen, Hubei Province, China

The medicine I have been looking for and the family I always knew I had.

Kim MacDonald Director, Waimataitai Skids
New Zealand

PARS IS....

An international community of practitioners

PARS practitioners work together to create a world where all adults value  childhood and empower children to be children. 

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Countries/regions

PARS Licensed Trainers

different languages 
PARS IS...

A programme of internationally accredited courses

Online and in-person workshops and qualifications for parents and professionals, delivered by local PARS Licensed Trainers around the world. 

Common Threads is an NCFE International Award Centre and our PPP2, PPP3 and PPP4 programmes have been accredited by NCFE as Customised Qualifications.

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PPP1

Find out what PARS practice is all about and how it's used around the world.
(not accredited)

PPP2

Begin to use parts of the PARS model to empower children at home and at work. 

PPP3

Become an advanced PARS practitioner and put the whole PARS model into practice.

(required to become a PARS Assessor)

PPP4

Develop an in-depth understanding of the theory and practice of PARS. 
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(required to become a PARS Licensed Trainer or Internal Verifier)

PARS - evidence based practice 

PARS has been published in academic and practitioner literature and policy guidance around the world in several different languages.

Childhoods & Leisure
Cross-Cultural and Inter-Disciplinary Dialogues

Chapter: Whose leisure is it anyway? The challenges of providing children’s leisure from a cross-cultural playwork perspective by Dr Shelly Newstead, Janine Dodge, Qian Zheng

Playwork Practice at the Margins

Chapter: Playwork Play Works by Dr Pauline Chan, Ada Wong, Serena Fung, Noel Kwok & Lam Pui, exploring the impact of PARS in kindergartens in Hong Kong.

Handbook on Specification on Child-Friendly Community Building (China)

Chapter by Qian Zheng on how PARS is used in communities in Shanghai (written in Chinese).

Tales from the Playground - playwork stories from contemporary adventure playgrounds

Includes chapters by PARS practitioners around the world.

Children, Youth and Environments

PARS Environmental Modification – an international ‘experiment’ in mirroring the nature of children and childhood in supervised settings by Dr Shelly Newstead. Children, Youth and Environments 35(2), 199-206

International Journal of Playwork Practice

PARS Playwork: Considering Who We Are Becoming and Why by Janine Dodge, Brazil.

Het Laaste Kind op Straat (Netherlands)

Chapter by Dr Shelly Newstead on PARS Environmental Modification (translated into Dutch).

Department for Education Workforce Toolkit for Wraparound Childcare (England)

PARS qualifications listed as recommended training for childcare workers.

All about OSCH (Australia)

PARS playwork - a model for embedding critical reflection in OSHC by Rarni Rothwell and Dr Shelly Newstead

Researching Play from a Playwork Perspective

Includes the chapter Playwork research as the art of ‘mirroring’ by Dr Shelly Newstead.

Our international learning community

PARS practitioners love learning and take every opportunity to learn from each other and from practitioners and academics from other disciplines. Explore our further learning opportunities and get involved - even if you are not a PARS practitioner!

PARS Book Club

PARS Book Club is for anybody who wants to develop their knowledge of literature about children and childhood. Practitioners and academics from any background are welcome to join Book Club!

Introduction to the Play Cycle

Join Dr Pete King for this one hour introduction to the original Play Cycle theory and to learn about recent updates and applications of the Play Cycle in research and practice.

Reflexions

Free quarterly meetings just for PARS practitioners led by Dr Shelly Newstead.

International Journal of Playwork Practice

IJPP is the official journal of PARS playwork practice. It includes peer-reviewed papers, practitioner articles and book reviews - all free to access and download.