Planning for small children

With her colleagues, Julia Jaspert produced 'Under Threes Welcome', a free guide for parents of young children in Camden, which is in its sixth edition (and has now been imitated in some two hundred other areas of the UK). Jaspert introduced the concept to restaurants and shops, awarding them a sticker through a 'We Welcome Small Children' campaign. She writes:

'Next we thought that too many shops, restaurants and public places forget the architectural side of providing access to parents with small children. The result was another book: Thinking of Small Children, Access, Provision and Play, funded by Camden Council, but aided by our voluntary efforts.'

'Too many shops, restaurants and public places forget the architectural side of providing access to parents with small children'

In an ideal world, the needs of young children would be considered in all new developments. This book is aimed at planners, architects and other professionals, and is full of advice, some of which would not be obvious to the non-parent. For instance, 'at present it is difficult to find small lifts, eight persons or less, with 900mm openings,' big enough to allow access to double pushchairs. Lift manufacturers please note. Some of the advice would not be expensive to follow, as in the section on cafes and restaurants:

The following would be helpful:

- A willingness to heat baby milk/food.
- Child portions or a spare plate to enable children who eat very little to share the adult's food.
- Children's plastic cutlery set and beaker or plastic mug.
- Plenty of napkins/paper tissues or even sachets of cleansing wipes.
- A few 'quiet' toys or games.

One well-known method they advocate, which should be universally applied in waiting rooms in hospitals and GPs' surgeries and elsewhere, is that of numbered tickets to be given out to people as they arrive, and the current number displayed, so that you can form an idea of how long you have to wait, and whether you can take your children outside for a while.

- Julia Jaspert, We Welcome Small Children Campaign, 93 Belsize Lane, London NW3 5AY (tel 071 586 3453; fax 071 586 4622).
- 'Under Threes Welcome' can be obtained by mail for L1 (p&p) or free by asking any Camden Children's Books Librarian.

You can rate how well you like this idea. Click 0-10 below and press the Submit button.
Bad Idea <- 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -> Great Idea
As of 05/28/96, 8 people have rated this page with the overall rating (0-100%) of: 70%

Previous / Next / Table of Contents