No Creche: Sample Letter to Feminist Event Organisers

CRAP! Collective is active in encouraging all events, gatherings and meetings to be as parent/carer friendly and child-friendly as possible.

This is so that parents/carers with young children are not unfairly discriminated against and prevented from attending or participating in such events.

We are particularly concerned about the lack of understanding about the needs of parents/carers/children within feminist circles.

Below is one example of a letter that was sent to the organising group of a recent feminist gathering, who had stated there was definately not going to be a creche provided in reply to our first query about the event.

Feel free to use/adapt this sample letter to send to other feminist events with no child provisions you are attending:

To [Feminist Organising Group],

Thats a shame that there is no creche provision for this event. In the
event of no creche provision, the next best move is to have a space/corner
which is a dedicated kids area with colouring in/toys and books and
seating for parents/carers.

If parents/carers have to take their chidlren with them to meetings, then
there should be toys/colouring-in etc provided to occupy them and allow
parents/carers to concentrate and contribute to the meeting. It would be a
good idea to have volunteers (from the organising group ideally)attending
each meeting who are able to play with the children if they start to get
bored or need a drink etc. Or ask around at the begninning of the meeting
for volunteers so that everyone attending should share childcare in this
way.

Facilitators should make it clear to the attendees that the children may
make noise but that the parent/carer should not be made to feel bad about
this, but supported, as there are no creche factilities. People can just talk louder or offer their services to play with the child/get a snack.

Feminist events must be inclusive to all and not discriminate against
parents/carers, especially affecting the majority of single mothers on low
incomes with no childcare-support network.

No creche provision means that even if you adhere to the parent/child-friendly organising suggestions above, the liklihood still is that parent/carers will decide not to attend your event or not be able to participate fully in discussions. Input from feminist parents/carers should be valued, not discourged.

I hope your organising group will consider the above points prior to your
event this [Saturday].

All the best,

[You or Your Collectives Name]