On the child’s journey through life there is a gradual exploration from home to the wider world, with the neighbourhood providing a starting place for this exploration. Good neighbourhoods act as the centre of the social and cultural life of children and their families.

This study, currently in progress, is concerned with the circulation of knowledge, practice and objects related to parenting through three contrasting neighbourhoods.

While work in planning around violence prevention has traditionally focused on crime prevention through environmental design, this research suggests a broadened role for spatial planning, related to social service provision, evidence-based ‘whole of government’ coordinated action, and engendering changes in attitudes towards public and private space.

Nature strips form an important part of residential streetscapes, yet there is limited understanding of their function, nor an appreciation of the important role that they can play in an aesthetic, environmental or social sense. This paper presents research on the role and potential of local nature strips.

This paper explores the recent attempts by Penrith City Council to develop a framework to redress neighbourhood disadvantage, firstly by developing an integrative governance framework for the program and secondly by transforming the Council’s operational structure.