Child & Family Friendly Community

To coincide with International Children's Day on Wednesday, 24 October 2007, the City of Ballarat, in conjunction with the Best Start project, launched Ballarat as a Child and Family Friendly City. The Ballarat Municipal Early Years Plan, Blueprint Ballarat and the Best Start Action Plan  had all identified the importance of child and family friendly communities within their key strategic goals, objectives and ongoing actions.

Background

Ballarat was added to the UNICEF Child Friendly Cities global website in June 2007, after acknowledgment of the work undertaken by the Child and Family Friendly Consultation Project. The primary aim of the consultation process was to hear and gather the community views on what child and family friendly means to them personally, and what it means for the Ballarat community.

There was an overwhelming response from the community regarding Ballarat becoming more child and family friendly, evidenced by the number of responses (1,071 people participated).This consultation attracted the highest response rate to any survey the City of Ballarat has commissioned and 25% of respondents indicating that would like to be further advised about this project.

Consultation Recommendations

The Ballarat community have clear views on what contributes to a child and family friendly city and envision what is important for Ballarat to become a child and family friendly city as follows:

1. Has an attitude that embraces children and families and treats them as highly valued citizens;
2. Has access to and provides affordable services / facilities; and
3. Builds their environment considering children and family's needs.

For the Ballarat Community, a child and family friendly city is a city that:

1. Has a community attitude / atmosphere / philosophy that actively engages in fulfilling the right of every child and their family, embraces children and families and treats them as highly valued citizens;
2. Enables and ensures that children and families have access to, and receive, affordable services such as specialist services; early childhood care / services; health; education; youth; dental; breastfeeding support; public transport; and aging persons services;
3. Builds its environment with children and families needs in mind particularly as they relate to participation in family, social and community life, and social cultural opportunities;
4. Provides workplace environments that are flexible in meeting child and family needs; and
5. Is safe in all dimensions.

A total of 56 recommendations were developed out of the report findings, all of which were unanimously endorsed by Council in May 2007. The Child and Family Reference Group, including parent representatives, continues to meet regularly to work towards implementing the recommendations.

Download the Child & Family Friendly City - Report on Findings 2007 (PDF - 305KB) which includes findings and recommendations or visit UNICEF's website www.childfriendlycities.org and search under 'Ballarat'.

Contact Details

For further information please contact Merran Fleming by phone on 03 5320 5773 or email merranfleming@ballarat.vic.gov.au. Or contact Robyn Clark on 03 5344 9090 or by mobile on 0414 601 609.