Improving children’s lives through ensuring children in Midlothian have access to play opportunities that meet their needs has been at the forefront of MAP’s work.

MAP was set up in 1996 and at that time was run by a voluntary committee of local people who represented Midlothian on the Lothian Play Forum Committee. The strong emphasis of those groups was promoting local parent led playschemes, which were very common at that time.

MAP’s remit increased after the Lothian Play Forum disbanded at the time of the re-organisation of Lothian Regional Council, when the new Midlothian Council took over the responsibilities of the previous authority.

With funding from Midlothian Council, MAP secured a part-time Development Worker with a small number of hours to support parent led playschemes.

MAP has since grown to take in a wider play focus and in 2002 became a Scottish Registered Charity (no SC025474) and a Company Limited by Guarantee (no 240729). MAP now supports the development of play opportunities in a number of different ways, including through the new project Free2play, supported by investment from Inspiring Scotland and supports a wide range of groups and professionals working where children play.