I am a parent of an autistic child in the Banyule LGA of Melbourne, Australia. Visiting our local playgrounds is a constant source of fear and stress as my son, like many neuro-divergent children, has a tendency to abscond. Even the briefest distraction, such as assisting his sister, can result in him sprinting towards danger. We cannot catch him anymore as he's so fast, and I live in constant fear that he will run into traffic or water. This isn't about parents not wanting to supervise their children adequately as our council has implied; it's about creating a safe space where our neuro-diverse children can play as freely as their peers and about equitable access to areas like that. 

We just want our child to have the same access to safe outdoor play spaces near home that other children get. We do not want all playgrounds to be fenced, as we fully understand and support the need for open playgrounds, and there are many open play spaces available all over Banyule LGA. All we are asking for is just more of them to be fenced than the current few - there are 6 with fences total, but one is so huge it's also not safe for neuro-diverse families so really only 5 - which is woefully inadequate for the population. Their distribution too leaves the vast majority of Banyule really far from one these few fenced playgrounds - all between a 10km-18km round trip from our home for example.

Unfortunately, our suggestions for the installation of safety fences around more playgrounds in their 120 parks/playgrounds have been flatly rejected by Banyule City Council. These precautions are critical not only for differently-abled children but also for families with multiple children and for playgrounds located near busy thoroughfares/waterways. 

Research indicates that children with autism are more than seven times more likely to wander off than their neurotypical peers, often with tragic consequences. It is estimated that over a third of children with autism who wander/elope are unable to communicate their name, address, or phone number (National Autism Association). Banyule City Council needs to recognize and address these serious safety concerns and recognise the stress and isolation that lack of safe playgrounds inflicts on special needs families. 

I implore Banyule City Council to reconsider its decision and to work with the community in making our playgrounds safe for all children. Let's move from exclusion to inclusion, from dismissiveness to understanding, from risk to safety. We need your support to help the council understand the fundamental importance of this issue that affects so many families in our community. Please sign this petition to urge Banyule City Council to install safety fences at more of our local playgrounds.