In 2020 $400,000 was allocated for fully fencing playgrounds. This is not being spent effectively or with proper consultation with families of children with autism.
Playgrounds in Canberra are often built close to roads or ponds. Statistically children with autism are three times more likely to die from drowning and 65% of the incidents with a child with autism involved a close call with traffic.
62% of parents said fear of their child running away stopped from them enjoying activities outside the home.
The ACT Government will only build fences of 1.2m height. Older children with autism can easily get over a 1.2m fence.
Boundless and Turner School playgrounds fences are 1.6m to 2.1m.
Only one of the fully fenced playgrounds listed by Minister Steel in August 2020 met pool fence regulations. There are still 30cm gaps under fences in playgrounds near water.
Your petitioners, therefore, request the Assembly to call upon the Government to:
- create a standard for fully fenced playgrounds incorporating the needs of families of children with autism.
- construct the playgrounds at Kambah and Throsby with at least 1.6m fences. Throsby playground is next to a lake.
- repair all fully fenced playgrounds and create an equal geographic distribution.