Playground Co. — Our Five Pillars
Presence First
Babies and parents belong together in the early years. Secure attachment builds emotional resilience, intelligence, and wellbeing. We protect that bond by creating space where work and care coexist.
Economic Freedom for Mothers
No mother should have to choose between feeding her family and being present. We reimagine the return-to-work journey by removing the financial penalty of caregiving and supporting long-term security.
Community as Infrastructure
It takes a village. Families thrive when they are connected, supported, and seen. We build modern villages where parents can work, children can play, and community becomes the safety net.
Equity at Work
Workplaces that support caregiving retain loyal, fulfilled employees. We give employers practical pathways to value parents, reduce turnover, and foster genuine gender equity.
Future-Proof Families, Future-Proof Communities
Investing in mothers and children is investing in society. Thriving mothers raise thriving children, and thriving children become the backbone of resilient, healthy communities.
Playground Co. — Our ROLE
Lack of Flexible, Integrated Work‑Care Options
Problem:
Rigid childcare systems push parents—especially mothers—into reduced work hours or early exit from workforce.
EVIDENCE:
Most formal childcare options lack flexibility; parents often adjust or abandon employment when care doesn't align with work hours.
[AIFS]
Proven solution:
Place‑based, flexible care models in Australia, UK, Canada, and USA have shown improved family wellbeing and parent retention.
[PolicyMaker, OECD family database]
Playground co’s role
Playground Co.’s on-site model co-locates work and care, giving parents real flexibility without splitting attention or space—proven to sustain both career and caregiving.
Workplace Retention and Wellbeing Boost
Problem:
Returning parents without supportive options are less likely to stay, contributing to higher turnover and staff dissatisfaction.
EVIDENCE:
On-site childcare benefits (like Patagonia’s) recoup about 91% of costs through tax and retention benefits; they achieve near-complete re-engagement of new mothers.
[Carecorporate.com.au, Harvard Business Review]
Proven solution:
Real access to family-support policies reduces turnover, absenteeism, and improves performance—mediated by employee wellbeing
[Journal of Human Resources, The Bulletin, Arxiv]
Playground co’s role
Playground Co. offers employers a tangible, evidence-based retention tool — a return-to-work ecosystem that boosts staff morale, loyalty, and wellbeing.
Child Well-Being Through Family Presence
Problem:
Infants separated too early from parents face heightened stress and disrupted emotional development.
EVIDENCE:
Secure attachment — formed when caregivers consistently respond — underpins emotional and social resilience.
[ScienceDirect 2022; Education.gov.scot; Paediatrics & Child Health Journal]
Proven solution:
Attachment-focused interventions (e.g., early psychoeducational or home-visiting programs) improve parent sensitivity and child outcomes over the long term.
[ACAMH, NCBI PMC]
Playground co’s role
Playground Co. keeps babies physically close during work, sustaining attachment—a living version of these proven interventions.
Well-Rounded Children Build Strong Communities
Problem:
Without nurturing, children are more likely to struggle in education, social functioning, and community engagement.
EVIDENCE:
Longitudinal studies like Early Head Start show consistent nurturing in early years leads to better reasoning, reduced aggression, and improved school functioning by grade 5.
[US Dept. of Health & Human Services]
Proven solution:
Early, responsive interventions set foundations for lifelong positive development. Investment (even modest) in early care yields long-term societal dividends.
[Heckman Equation, WHO Early Childhood Development Framework]
Playground co’s role
By keeping the parent–child unit intact during working hours, Playground Co. creates that nurturing environment critical to building future community resilience.
Thriving Mothers = Thriving Families (and Societies)
Problem:
Maternal stress and isolation compromise parenting capacity and child development.
EVIDENCE:
Group-based, holistic support programs (like the Acorn Program in South Australia) have increased maternal wellbeing, confidence, and parent-child connection across diverse and vulnerable groups.
[Frontiers; Torrens University Australia]
Proven solution:
Nurturing, community-based programs that strengthen maternal health and parent–child interactions yield positive outcomes for both mothers and children.
[Lancet Public Health, Beyond Blue, WHO Maternal Mental Health]
Playground co’s role
Playground Co. integrates peer support, flexibility, and belonging to relieve isolation — a built-in support ecosystem that mirrors these evidence-based successes.
Wealth Inequity from Unpaid Care
Problem:
Australian women perform the majority of unpaid care — a burden that severely affects workforce participation and financial stability.
EVIDENCE:
Women shoulder much more unpaid caregiving than men; redistributing care is proven to increase female workforce engagement and reduce gender-labour-market gaps.
[WGEA]
Proven solution:
Integrated support systems enabling flexible work and care help redistribute care obligations and improve job participation.
[McKinsey Global Institute, International Labour Organisation]
Playground co’s role
By blending co-working with onsite childcare, Playground Co. helps families balance both roles — preserving parental presence and economic engagement.
The Economic Motherhood Penalty
Problem:
Women, especially mothers, face deep financial setbacks that accumulate over their lifetimes—from diminished earnings to inadequate superannuation.
EVIDENCE:
Women retire with roughly 25–33% less super than men and lose out on over $26,000 in lifetime super due to unpaid caregiving responsibilities. This includes $15.5 billion in unpaid super over the past decade and $1.9 billion in 2022–23 alone.
[SMC Australia; News.com.au]
Proven solution:
Research shows that financial supports like super top-ups for caregivers help close this gap and promote long-term security.
[OECD, Grattan Institute, Australian Human Rights Commission]
Playground co’s role
Playground Co. offers a 'Future Security Top-Up', contributing ~9–11% of subscription fees into members’ super — a direct counter to the motherhood financial penalty.