The findings were based on a survey of 575 playworkers and 200 playwork employers, to inform the report Playwork People 4; the fourth biennial audit of the playwork sector.
The results also showed that nine out of 10 people trying to employ playworkers said that it was skills specific to playwork that they found lacking in potential recruits.
Although managers in playwork settings were over-represented in the survey, there had been little change in the rate of specific qualifications since the 2007 survey. This suggests that many settings are being run by managers without a specialist qualification.
"We want playwork qualifications in playwork settings," said Jonathan Parsons, research manager for SkillsActive. "The danger is if you have a setting run by someone qualified in another discipline then they use play as a means to an end rather than embracing the playwork principles."
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