Kidsafe Playspace Design Awards – nominations now open for 2020

The 2020 Kidsafe National Playspace Design Awards are now open, offering early childhood education and care (ECEC) service providers the opportunity to showcase the unique designs that have been created for children and families using their services. 

Recognising excellence and innovation in the provision of safe, creative play spaces, the awards aim to promote inspirational, innovative, best practice play facilities that encourage healthy participation in recreational activities for all users.

While entries are open to both playground owners and design professionals across Australia, there are also opportunities for ECEC professionals to become more involved in the awards by nominating themselves for a judging position. 

Judges for the awards, Kidsafe said, should be suitably qualified and experienced individuals with knowledge of playground design and safety, with  a background in one of the following fields: 

• Children’s services
• Children’s education
• Local government
• Landscape design/architecture
• Playground inspections
• Allied health
• Injury prevention

The judging process will be conducted online with electronic files. Judging will occur in September 2020. If required, final decisions regarding the category winners of the Awards will be conducted via teleconference/online meeting between all judges in October 2020.

Entries for ECEC fall will fall into one or more of the five categories for education and care services shown below: 

• 1a. Preschools
• 1b. Long day care
• 1c. Occasional care
• 1d. Family day care
• 1e. Out of school hours care/vacation care

An entry guide is available to support services through the nomination process, which may be accessed here. 

To enter the awards, services must complete an online registration, with all entries to be received by 5pm AEST, Friday 14 August 2020.

For more information about the awards, please visit the Kidsafe website.