Making cities and urban places more child-friendly was the subject of a recent planning conference in Sydney, Australia. Attendees highlighted some of the ways poor planning can negatively affect childhood development.
"Just how much the urban planning decisions we are now taking will affect children is yet to be fully understood, but depression, criminal behaviour and even obesity were some of the possibilities canvassed yesterday at a Sydney conference on creating more child-friendly cities."
" 'Too often, the built environment works against healthy child development in terms of the design and positioning of housing, parkland and transport systems,' child welfare advocate Fiona Stanley said."
" 'We need to put children at the centre of the (planning) process if we want to make an impact in reducing problems such as behavioural issues, rising rates of juvenile crime, domestic violence, child abuse and even the obesity epidemic.' "
Read the full story: Modern urban planning is no child's play
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Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
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