Across Western Australia, there is an ongoing shortage of early childhood education services, also known as ECEC. This is especially true in many regional or suburban areas. A recent report described parts of WA as “childcare deserts,” where there are far more children than available spots.
Even in metropolitan areas like Perth, many families struggle to secure reliable childcare. Waiting lists are common, and some centres regularly operate at full capacity.
Family dynamics are also changing with more dual income households and mothers returning to work sooner, adding to an increased demand for childcare services. As such, there’s a strong case for investing in modern childcare facilities across Perth and wider WA to meet demand, support families, and give children access to quality early learning spaces.
Benefits to the region & community
Building commercial construction projects like childcare centres not only delivers care for kids but brings social and economic benefits to the community such as:
Increased workforce participation
Reliable childcare makes it easier for parents, especially mothers, to return to work or include more working hours into their schedule. If you’re a parent and can trust that your children are well taken care of, it unburdens you, allowing you to focus on your work, supporting workforce participation, while helping local businesses and the broader economy.
Supporting childhood development
Purpose-built childcare centres with safe play areas, good ventilation, and age-appropriate facilities contribute to healthier and more stimulating environments for children. Early childhood education has long term benefits for cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Filling service gaps
New childcare centres can help reduce childcare deserts. This helps families who previously had only limited or non-existent options. As a result, parents can rejoin the workforce and maintain family stability.
Stimulating local economy
In all phases of the commercial project, building childcare centres help create jobs. It creates a whole new ecosystem of jobs from builders to maintenance, teachers, cleaner, and even support services.
What goes into building a Childcare Centre
Designing and constructing a childcare facility is more complex than standard commercial builds. There are special regulations, safety considerations, and layouts to be considered.
Regulations and compliance
Childcare facilities are not just ordinary commercial buildings. They must comply with the national standards for early childhood care as well as building codes. In Australia, this means following the requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC) / Building Code of Australia (BCA), as well as standards under ECEC regulations for hygiene, safety, appropriate facilities for babies and children, and accessibility.
Safe and child-friendly layout
The design must provide appropriate indoor and outdoor spaces for children. There must be secure play areas, safe verandas or decks, secure windows and doors, safe flooring, good ventilation, natural light, hygiene facilities (toilets, handwashing, nappy change), as well as a space for sleep where applicable. Fencing, gates, and secure separation from traffic or public access are also essential.
Durability and maintenance
Childcare centres are used heavily with a lot of foot traffic. Materials used in the construction of the building needs to be robust, easy to clean surfaces and durable. Outdoor finishes often get constantly exposed to sun, rain or humidity and need to be able to handle these conditions.
Health, safety & supervision design
Because childcare involves young children, the building must allow for easy supervision. Clear line of sight from indoor to outdoor play areas is critical. There must be secure access to sensitive zones as well as safe evacuation routes, child-safe fencing, and compliance with ventilation standards.
Regulatory approvals and planning permissions
Getting a child-care centre approved involves more than your standard commercial permits. Local councils and state regulators often require evidence that the design meets ECEC regulations around the physical environment, safety, access, capacity, and suitability.
Conclusion
With growing demand and continuing shortages in many parts of Western Australia, building new childcare centres has become a necessity to communities. The benefits are vast from community growth, supporting local economies, to job creation, not even to mention development of children and future generations.
Constructing a childcare centre is not just another building. It’s a safe, nurturing environment for children, staff, and families that makes a real impact on the surrounding community. That requires a thoughtful process, careful design and intricate planning, a process IQ Construction is very familiar with.
We build commercial projects like Childcare centres in Perth and the surrounding areas. We’re nearly at the handover stage of a new Childcare centre in Movida, see some images here.
Want to find out how IQ Construction can help build your childcare centre? Contact us below for more information about our Childcare centre commercial construction services.