Childcare Design in Australia

There are a lot of requirements for childcares in NSW and Australia generally. The below information outlines what is required by the regulations as well as other information such as suggested heights for bathroom basins for different ages that was a bit hard to find.

Minimum Indoor and Outdoor Space

Indoor: 3.25m² per child

Outdoor: 7m² per child

Definitions from the regulations: 

Space requirements--indoor space

107 Space requirements--indoor space

(1) This regulation does not apply in respect of a family day care residence.

(2) The approved provider of an education and care service must ensure that, for each child being educated and cared for by the service, the education and care service premises has at least 3.25 square metres of unencumbered indoor space.

Penalty: $2200.

(3) In calculating the area of unencumbered indoor space--

(a) the following areas are to be excluded--

(i) any passageway or thoroughfare (including door swings);

(ii) any toilet and hygiene facilities;

(iii) any nappy changing area or area for preparing bottles;

(iv) any area permanently set aside for the use or storage of cots;

(v) any area permanently set aside for storage;

(vi) any area or room for staff or administration;

(vii) any other space that is not suitable for children;

(b) the area of a kitchen is to be excluded, unless the kitchen is primarily to be used by children as part of an educational program provided by the service.

(4) The area of a verandah may be included in calculating the area of indoor space only with the written approval of the Regulatory Authority.

(5) A verandah that is included in calculating the area of outdoor space cannot be included in calculating the area of indoor space.

(6) In this regulation a reference to a child does not include--

(a) a child being educated or cared for in an emergency in the circumstances set out in regulation 123(5); or

(b) an additional child being educated or cared for in exceptional circumstances as set out in regulation 124(5) and (6).

Space requirements—outdoor space

108 Space requirements—outdoor space

(1) This regulation does not apply in respect of a family day care residence.

(2) The approved provider of an education and care service must ensure that, for each child being educated and cared for by the service, the education and care service premises has at least 7 square metres of unencumbered outdoor space.

Penalty—

Penalty: $2200.

(3) In calculating the area of unencumbered outdoor space required, the following areas are to be excluded—

(a) any pathway or thoroughfare, except where used by children as part of the education and care program;

(b) any car parking area;

(c) any storage shed or other storage area;

(d) any other space that is not suitable for children.

(4) A verandah that is included in calculating the area of indoor space cannot be included in calculating the area of outdoor space.

(5) An area of unencumbered indoor space may be included in calculating the outdoor space of a service that provides education and care to children over preschool age if—

(a) the Regulatory Authority has given written approval; and

(b) that indoor space has not been included in calculating the indoor space under regulation 107.

(6) In this regulation a reference to a child does not include—

(a) a child being educated or cared for in an emergency in the circumstances set out in regulation 123(5); or

(b) an additional child being educated or cared for in exceptional circumstances as set out in regulation 124(5) and (6).

Regulations Required by the National Construction Code (NCC or BCA)

Fire Resistance

(2) In a building containing a Class 9b early childhood centre—

unless the Class 9b early childhood centre is the only use in the building, it must be separated from the remainder

(a)of the building by walls and/or floors with an FRL not less than that required for a fire wall; and

(b) each storey within the Class 9b early childhood centre must contain not less than 2 fire compartments.

Fall Prevention

(1) (b) A barrier must be provided where people could fall—

2 m or more from a floor through an openable window—

(i) in a bedroom in a Class 2 or 3 building or a Class 4 part of a building; or

(ii) in a Class 9b early childhood centre; or

Fire exits

(4)Class 9 buildings —

(a) In addition to any horizontal exit, not less than 2 exits must be provided from the following:

(iii) Any storey used as a Class 9b early childhood centre, or any Class 9b early childhood centre which forms

Each fire compartment in a childcare must accommodate an area of 4m² when determining the area of fire compartments.

Handrails

(c) in a Class 9b building used as a primary school or a building that contains an early childhood centre

(d) have one handrail fixed at a height of not less than 865 mm; and

(i) in addition to (i), have a handrail—

(ii) fixed at a height between 665 mm and 750 mm in a primary school; and

Protection of Openable Windows

(1) A window opening must be provided with protection, if the floor below the window is 2 m or more above the surface beneath in— 

(B) a Class 9b early childhood centre. Where the lowest level of the window opening is less than 1.7 m above the floor, a window opening covered by (1) must comply with the following:

Sprinklers

(1) In a Class 9b building, other than an early childhood centre, see Part I1.

(2 )In a Class 9b early childhood centre and in a building containing a Class 9b early childhood centre, sprinklers are required throughout the whole building, including any part of another class.

Except where the storey has direst egress to the street or it has a rise of not more than 2 storeys and is the only use for the building.

Quick response sprinklers must be provided to a Class 9b early childhood centre required to have an automatic fire sprinkler system.

Smoke Detection

(3)A building containing a Class 9b early childhood centre must be provided with an automatic smoke detection and alarm system complying with Specification 20 throughout the whole building, including any part of another class.

Food Preparation

A building is to be provided with—

(a) space and facilities for the preparation and cooking of food; and

(b) suitable means for the sanitary disposal of associated waste water.

A facility must be provided which includes—

(a) a means for food rinsing, utensil washing and the sanitary disposal of associated waste water; and

(b) a means for cooking food; and

(c) a space for food preparation.

Kitchen

(9) A Class 9b early childhood centre must be provided with—

(a) a kitchen or food preparation area with a kitchen sink, separate hand washing facilities, space for a refrigerator and space for cooking facilities, with—

(i) the facilities protected by a door or gate with child proof latches to prevent unsupervised access to the

(ii) facilities by children younger than 5 years old; and the ability to facilitate supervision of children from the facilities if the early childhood centre accommodates

(ii)children younger than 2 years old; and

Laundry/ Bath/ Shower/ Change table

Laundering facilities or space for laundering facilities and the means for the sanitary disposal of waste water must be provided in a convenient location within or associated with a building appropriate to the function or use of the building.

if the centre accommodates children younger than 3 years old—

(i) a laundry facility comprising a washtub and space in the same room for a washing machine; and

(ii) a bench type baby bath, which is within 1 m of the nappy change bench; and The baby bath can double as a hand wash facility.

(iii) a nappy changing bench which—

(A) is within 1 m of separate adult hand washing facilities and bench type baby bath; and

(B) must be not less than 0.9 m2 in area and at a height of not less than 850 mm, but not more than 900mm above the finished floor level; and

(C) must have a space not less than 800 mm high, 500 mm wide and 800 mm deep for the storage of steps; and

(D) is positioned to permit a staff member changing a nappy to have visibility of the play area at all times.

Bath/ Shower

One bath, shower or shower-bath; 

Sanitary Facilities - Toilets