Abstract
Families with toddlers visit playgrounds and libraries, use doctors, supermarkets and other public and private city spaces. Where they go shows how they use the city. However, how well cities work for families with very young children has been little explored. In other words, the place and participation of young families in cities has largely been overlooked in urban planning and planning related studies. Raising young children in the city poses unique challenges, such as accessibility, social inclusion, and expectations placed on parents/caregivers. By better consideration of the day-to-day experiences of families with young children (aged 1-3 years), a more liveable city can be achieved. This research aims to investigate how young families living in Wellington experience and participate in the city and what stakeholders do (e.g., strategies, policies and initiatives) to ensure young families’ needs are considered. In addition to a review of existing initiatives and strategies, fourteen semi-structured interviews with parents of children aged 1-3 years, policy advisors, and other representatives associated with young families in Wellington, were conducted to inform and develop a best practice framework for a Young-Family Friendly City (YFFC). The resulting framework draws on findings from the interviews as well as relevant academic literature of families in cities, and existing initiatives such as the UNICEF Child-Friendly City, WHO Age-Friendly Cities, and the 20-minute City, to outline the key steps, elements, and expected goals and outcomes for ensuring New Zealand’s cities are friendly for young families. I argue that what makes cities young-family friendly is twofold; cities can be generally family-friendly, however, they also need to be family-friendly at the local, neighbourhood scale. Therefore, both citywide and place-specific young-family friendly amendment strategies should be implemented to truly achieve a YFFC. It is expected that policymakers and family-oriented organisations alike will be able to use this framework to guide and develop a strategy/action plan that caters for the needs of young families in the city. Cities and neighbourhoods designed with families and their toddlers in mind, are cities that have benefits for all.