The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) has drafted a new Position Statement – Child Care Premises to guide the development of child care premises to better meet the community’s changing needs. This updates the Planning Bulletin 72 Child Care Centres (August 2009) and aims to provide decision-makers, proponents, and the community with a consistent policy approach to planning for childcare premises in Western Australia.
Given the serious risks to do with heat stress, carbon emissions and pollution that Perth Hills and other children are exposed to in a climate changing world, PHCCIG submission has put in a submission (summary below) .
If you’d like to put in a submission, go to the on line survey by the due date, 10th February 2023.
Summary of the Body of the PHCCIG Submission
Question 1 Do your support (Yes) or oppose the Draft? Explain your answer.
Policy Objectives
Overall, except for our suggestion, below, the objectives described in the Draft are supported, as they seem practical and reasonable.
The Draft’s policy objectives could be improved, we believe, with the inclusion of a policy alignment with the WA Government’s commitment to enhance climate resilience and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
This is suggested so there is clear leverage in the Position Statement for the proprietors of childcare premises to minimise emissions, and optimise resilience to climate change, particularly with respect to minimising climate change risks to the health and wellbeing of young children.
Policy Measures
The measures described in the Draft are supported, as they seem practical and reasonable.
Further suggestions are:
- A proximity of childcare premises to sources of ambient air pollution levels should not be allowed, especially where the children are at risk of exposure to fossil fuel exhaust particulates, particularly from highways, busy intersections, and petrol stations.
- That outside play areas have enough shade, including trees, to keep outdoor areas cooler than they would otherwise be in summer to minimise the risk of heat stress to the children and staff, and to optimise the amount of time available for play outside.
- That public transport is accessible, where possible, so that the pollution and greenhouse gas emissions of staff and parent vehicles are minimised, and so that low-income parents can afford to readily access childcare premises.
Air filters be required to be included in the design of childcare premises (just as they are in schools in WA), to minimise risks of disease spread and pollution within bu