South Australian cafes, restaurants not child-friendly enough, parent groups say
South Australia's hospitality sector should introduce a statewide rating system for child-friendliness in a bid to improve the dining experience for families, according to parents and advocacy groups.
The call came following reports of parents changing their children on toilet floors, in carparks or in prams beside dining tables due to a lack of changing facilities in some venues.
Little Lattes operator Jane Tiggeman, whose website rates Adelaide's restaurants, pubs and cafes on their family friendliness, said she felt "really uncomfortable" changing her newborn inside a cafe.
"I felt ridiculous," she said. "There were no change facilities ... I ended up having to change him in the pram near our table."
Single mother Ellora Jaffer, 21, said she was used to changing her 19-month-old daughter Ebony Ackarie, on the floor at disabled and ladies toilets at Adelaide restaurants and cafes.
"That's why a lot of mums feel isolated. They don't catch up with family and friends because they don't want to change their babies in front of everyone," the Salisbury East mum said.
The latest poll of Australian mothers, by online community motherdriven.com.au, showed 65 per cent of women felt guilty about dining out with their children while 14 per cent gave up dining out altogether.
The website launched the mobile app Kid-Friendly and a national sticker system involving 300 restaurants that welcome young children.
Ms Jaffer said venues needed to be rated on child-friendliness - a call backed by Ms Tiggeman, who bought the Little Lattes website three years ago.
"I know not everywhere is family friendly and they're not meant to be, so I'm not sure whether change tables should be compulsory," she said.
"But something I've wanted to do is work for a rating system, so ... parents could easily see whether a venue is considered child-friendly before they go there."
Restaurant and Catering Association SA president Michael Sferra said while there was no official regulation for venues to provide change facilities, it would be front-of-mind for those that promoted themselves as child-friendly.
"There are more leading restaurants who might have it as part of their toilet facilities," he said. "I think it should be incumbent on the service ethos of the organisation to provide it, however, each organisation would have their own view and policy on it."
Tips on eating out with kids
- Do book ahead and advise that you are bringing children
- Do go at family friendly hours - not at peak restaurant times, that is, after 7pm
- Do order quickly - perhaps even just drinks and shared entrees as kids don't like to sit around
- Do engage in conversation about the experience - maybe even ask questions of the waiter, you might even get a peek into the kitchen or meet the chef.
- Don't expect the kids to sit still for hours - visits to the toilets are a good way of stretching their legs (I used to ask my kids to score the loos as a way of keeping them entertained)
Source: The Advertiser, 20 October 2013
