All indoor play areas should be legally bound by national safety standards that are voluntary at the moment, according to Children’s Commissioner Helen D’Amato.

The standards offer guidance for facilities such as café and restaurant play areas.They cover items such as gates and fencing, child-friendly materials, regular cleaning and maintenance and making first aid materials available.

However, the guidelines, published earlier this year by the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA), are not legally binding and play area operators can choose to ignore them.

In her annual report for 2013, Ms D’Amato insists they should be compulsory.

“The office [of the Commissioner] believes that the standard can be a tool that truly protects children from injuring themselves while playing in these establishments only if a robust system is put in place that encourages owners of indoor play area facilities to apply the standard,” the commissioner wrote.

She suggested granting a quality certificate or flag to establishments that adhered to the standards.

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