Little Gem Family Day Care appears to have opened its doors at 16 Bangaroo Street North Balgowlah, flying in the face of community feedback and Council planning concerns over suitability of the location as a child care facility.
Purporting to be home based care, this facility is not the home of the operators; they simply arrive for opening hours when the tenant has gone out.
Advertising for Little Gem Family Day Care suggests that it exceeds National Quality Framework standards (which it may do). However, having only opened its doors in March 2023 it should be noted this rating is by virtue of the umbrella organisation it operates under, rather than Little Gem Family Day Care at North Balgowlah specifically.
The North Balgowlah community still oppose the operation of a business (that is not a home business) from a residential property.
Residents of Bangaroo Street and surrounding North Balgowlah homes will be noting the issues that ensue, and regularly updating Council on these, such as …..
This patron is blocking the footpath outside Little Gems Family Day Care as school kids need to pass
Despite an empty street parking space, patrons continue to block the footpath.
North Balgowlah Child Care
There are other Family Day Care and Centre Based options convenient to North Balgowlah. In fact, as a family suburb. the area is saturated with them.
Nicola’s Family Day Care ($15.70 /hour)
Northside Pre-School Balgowlah ($142 /day)
Sunshine Lollipops Family Day Care (P.O.A)
Chiko Family Day Care ($16.00 /hour)
Balgowlah Preschool ($146 /day)
Punchinello Early Learning Centre ($165 /day)
Rosey Pot Kindergarten Balgowlah ($114 /day)
Tracey’s Family Day Care (P.O.A.)
For the 2nd time Northern Beaches Local Planning Panel has refused this application for a child care cente at 16 Bangaroo Street North Balgowlah.
The independent panel endorsed all of the original reasons for rejection PLUS the additional reason that a 3m high solid boundary wall to abate noise is unacceptable in this setting.
THANK YOU
To the 163 families objecting to this plan,
you have maintained the residential nature of the North Balgowlah community that we all ❤ and prevented a home from becoming a commercial site with all of the safety, noise, and other issues that would entail.
A special thanks to the 7 community representatives who addressed the Local Planning Panel with community concerns.
Towards the end of the Panel meeting, the Applicants’ planner William Flemming did threaten that the applicant will open a Family Day Care Centre at 16 Bangaroo Street North Balgowlah.
This does not require a DA approval, thus bypassing Coucils’ refusal of a DA.
It is our understanding however, that a Family Day Care service does
- require the registered educator to be present at all times during operating hours,
- only allow for up to 4 children of pre-school age to be cared for,
- allow out-of-school-hours care for an additional 3 children of school age,
- is initially registered and then regularly assessed against the child care quality framework, and
- like any other neighbour, still needs to comply with noise restrictions and all other laws and bylaws such as parking
There is plenty of community guardianship to ensure that all relevant boxes are ticked for its operation.
Compliance with regulations will be heavily scrutinised, especially with regard to
- Operating a Family Day Care Centre for up to 4 children only, plus 3 after school
- Running a business from a residence that is not your home,
- Having tenants unrelated to the operator in the same property as the children under care, and
- being a good Neighbour in the community.