Frequently asked questions

Planning Bulletins have no status within the State Planning Framework and therefore cannot be used by decision makers to guide decisions. As such, as part of the Reform program all policy content is being moved from planning bulletins to policy documents that are part of the State Planning Framework. 

To support this initiative, the Department has completed a review of the child care planning bulletin, and converted it to a position statement, so that the content can be given weight by decision-makers.

The WAPC’s policy position will now be reflected in a position statement, which will be available on State planning framework (www.wa.gov.au). 

The revised draft improves upon the earlier draft by making improvements to planning measures that provides location and design guidance to decision makers, proponents, and the community for the development of child care premises.

The position statement addresses the important location considerations and design standards that should apply to the development of child care premises, like size, location, site characteristics, environmental suitability, design, traffic and vehicle access, noise emissions, and amenity, health, and safety impacts.

The position statement applies to the preparation and assessment of strategic and statutory proposals throughout Western Australia and will guide local government when preparing local scheme provisions and local planning policies. It provides a consistent state-wide planning policy approach, which aims to ensure child care premises are developed in appropriate locations.

Child care is an essential community service to which Western Australian families need convenient and flexible access. The service needs to cater for the parents who are part of the workforce, who work both full and part time in shift work and out-of-ordinary hours. The draft position statement has been reviewed to respond to these changes in family lifestyles.

Long-term planning 

The position statement responds to the needs of our growing population by encouraging the co-location of child care premises with schools. This means that the development of child care premises can be considered when planning for the development of new public primary schools, which provides communities with certainty about the availability of children care services in their local area. This measure supports delivery of the 2017 State Government’s Educare election commitment. 

Responsive planning 

With the rising demand for child care premises in both metropolitan and regional areas, it is important to ensure that development of child care premises occurs in appropriate locations.

This revision introduces four categories of child care premises (CCP) based upon size, defined by the number of children. It supports new small and medium size CCP in residential zones, with large and extra-large CCP encouraged to be located within mixed use and commercial areas or integrated into schools and reserves where possible.

The position statement aims to respond to the community’s changing needs by co-locating child care premises on government reserves intended for community and educational uses, such as aquatic centres and hospitals, and on land which is zoned mixed commercial, such as shopping centres and office complexes where noise and emissions are safe for children. This allows child care premises to be larger in size, to be built in more locations with greater access to public transport corridors, and to operate extended hours. This measure will help make child care services more convenient and accessible for more Western Australian families. Furthermore, locating child care premises within public reserves and mixed commercial type zones should reduce the demand for new centre proposals in the residential zone.

The revised objectives are clearer and achieve more definitive outcomes which are measurable. These are:

• that child care premises be appropriately located and designed to ensure the health and safety of children.
• to support small or medium child care premises in residential zones which are compatible with, and do not have an unreasonable impact upon, the amenity of adjoining and nearby residential area. 
• to support the co-location of small, medium, large, or extra-large child care premises on compatible government reserves and commercial, mixed use and similar type zones.

There is more clarity about responsibilities of State agencies which apply guidance and standards for CCP and links to relevant legislation.