We need your help! Please support the reinstatement of the Family Room or an equivalent facility! Hi, we are UQ parents and carers. The UQ Union has permanently closed down the Family Room with just one day notice. At such late notice, it has caused significant stress and inconvenience, and with no avenue for response, consultation or negotiation. One can argue that several parenting facilities have been made available by the University. However these facilities are designed for and cater for only brief stop-ins to change a nappy or give a feed. They are spaces for hasty usage – much like one uses a bathroom. They are not designed to inhabit or linger in, and it would be unsafe and detrimental for children to be confined to such spaces for any extended period of time, or to attempt to facilitate the vital developmental requirement of ‘play’ in areas that are not designed with child-safety or wellbeing in mind. The family room was a space where children, parents and families could feel they were safe and welcome as part of the University of Queensland community. It addressed a need beyond the bare minimum parenting facilities on campus. Some of the invaluable, essential features of the Family included a large fenced indoor play area, a quite room for a cot and bedding, a secure outdoor play area with shade-cloth protection and soft ground surface, a lounge area, a kitchen with child-security door/child-locks fitted with the basic necessities, baby change facilities, a store room, and internet connection. It was accessed through a card system and was available seven days a week. It was designed as a space for babies, toddlers and older children to inhabit, which enabled parents and carers to meet both their caring and employment/study responsibilities in a family-friendly and child-friendly way. In many cases, it has been the pivotal factor in people’s ability to continue their education or employment. The sudden closure of the Family Room has forced parents/carers to utilize other spaces not specifically designed for children and not accommodating for children, such as offices and libraries. This has presented a significant inconvenience in the short term and an unworkable situation in the long term for both families and the wider University community. Please support the reinstatement of the Family Room or an equivalent facility! Please support by signing this petition. Even if you are not a parent or no longer use the room, we need your support! We want to voice our concerns about the decision and the way it was made. We want to tell the University and the Union how important the Family Room is for people - both for current university members and for future members. It is so sad to think that new people coming to UQ won't even know that there used to be such a wonderful facility that could have supported them. Thank you very much. Your support is greatly appreciated. UQ Parents and Carers uqparents.carers@gmail.com

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