Children

The Greens (WA) want all Western Australian children to be raised in safe and loving environments. We believe that children have a right to a loving and nurturing environment free of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination.
A healthy, positive and supportive environment from early childhood is the essential basis for successful adolescence and adulthood. Community-focused solutions that encourage effective parenting, and which support parents and families are needed, with sufficient resources allocated to address disadvantage.

Goals

The Greens (WA) want:

• affordable, quality, publicly-funded child care for low and middle income families
• co-operation between all government departments in the interest of child protection
• community participation and consultation, particularly for Indigenous children and families, so that children can maximise their potential regardless of economic, ethnic or social background, ability or where they live
• planning decisions that make urban environments safer for children to exercise, walk and play safely
• protection against exposure to harmful chemicals for children in the most vulnerable years of birth to five
• the elimination of physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children

Initiatives

The Greens (WA) will encourage and support legislation and actions that:

• ensure that children are genuinely consulted in decisions that affect them
• give financial recognition to the value of homemaking and child raising by providing incentives such as allowances which enable parents of young children (including single parents) to stay at home with their children, if they so choose
• make relationship, parenting and communication programs more readily available
• allow children of prisoners to have regular contact with their parents - if such contact is in the best interest of the child
• provide six months of paid maternity and paternity leave for all parents, with benefits such as superannuation accruing during this time
• make employment choices more appropriate to the diverse needs of parents, particularly through job sharing and part time work, with benefits equivalent to those relating to permanent, full-time employment
• develop minimum standards which require employers to make workplaces more friendly to parents with young children by providing child care facilities, lactation breaks and paid leave for parents with sick children
• provide changing areas and easy access for prams in public areas and work places
• promote changes in community attitudes to support breast feeding
• provide more resources for housing and other support services in recognition of the serious impacts of homelessness on children
• help and support parents and/or extended families so that children are not taken into state wardship unnecessarily
• continue to support the rights of adopted children to know their biological parents

Early Childhood Development

• examine and develop Early Childhood Development programs to provide support for optimal physical and mental growth of young children, with particular attention to disadvantaged families and communities, recognising the particular needs of those with disabled children and single parents
• provide additional funding for research into early childhood development
• recognise that money spent on early intervention programs can prevent later ill health, educational problems, crime and social problems
• target services to the earliest possible age to prevent inappropriate and dysfunctional patterns becoming entrenched
• prioritise program delivery to communities suffering from poverty, social exclusion, abuse and/or parental stress
• develop programs for children under four years old with developmental delay1
• ensure that the ongoing, professional training of pre-primary and kindergarten teachers is based on best practice and research on developmental profiles and educational outcomes
• expand funding for metropolitan and rural child development centres for children with developmental problems and plan to develop such centres in all Area Health Services

Childcare

• ensure frequent accreditation checks of childcare centres to ensure standards of staffing, adequate levels of trained staff and suitable facilities
• ensure quality training for child care staff
• assist non-profit and community based centres to provide transport for children
• develop systems to rotate toys and equipment between centres
• provide more formal child care places in rural and remote communities
• ensure the rights of individuals to chose styles of childcare best suited to their children's character, within established health and safety parameters
• promote the provision of Family Centres that provide child-friendly environments that enable people with children to participate in community activities
• encourage industry and employers to provide in-house childcare where possible to assist parents returning to the workforce

Child Health

• introduce school nurses for all primary schools
• promote nutrition and exercise programs that encourage healthy lifestyles
• support school canteens in providing nutritious and varying foods, including snacks and substantial main meals that also reflect ethnic diversity
• support breakfast programs in schools to encourage children to start their day with a substantial meal when they are unable to access breakfast at home
• fund preventative programs to reduce childhood accidents
• support research into childhood conditions including, but not limited to, asthma, diabetes, ADD and ADHD, mental health problems, obesity and autism
• ban harmful chemicals and pesticides in public places, childcare centres and schools (apart from necessary chemicals used in education) and allow only non-toxic cleaning materials to be used
• require councils to use safe, non-toxic alternatives for pest and weed control
• require the accurate labelling of the ingredients in all food stuffs in Western Australia

Prevention of Child Abuse

• develop programs to reduce bullying
• protect victims of domestic violence and provide refuges and support services
• oppose the use of corporal punishment

Glossary
1. developmental delay occurs when a child has the delayed achievement of one or more milestones which may affect the child’s speech and language, fine and gross motor skills, and/or personal and social skills. Developmental milestones are determined by the average age at which children attain each skill. Therefore, statistically, about 3% of children will not meet them on time, but only about 15 to 20% of these children will actually have abnormal development. The rest will eventually develop normally over time, although a little later than expected.