Childcare group wants to form federation

Press, 19 November 1984, Page 8

Childcare group wants to form federation

PA Wellington The Childcare Association wants a national hui on early childhood to be held no later than March next year. At its annual conference in Wellington at the weekend it also called for the formation of a national childcare federation. This would draw toge’ther all groups involved in childcare, from daycare centres through to language nurseries (kohanga reo). “The conference felt strongly that the voice of early childhood would be very powerful if it was united,” said the association’s president, Mrs Cathy Lythe yesterday.

The hui would quicken the formation of a federation, and was vital to spell out to the Government the special and distinct needs of childcare groups. At present moves are being made to transfer responsibility for childcare from the Social Welfare Department to the Education Department. “This will involve a lot of administrative restructuring,” Mrs Lythe said. “The Government must know how all the groups feel about it, and one of the most effective ways is to meet together and give clear priorities.” ' The association was also ahxious to make sure that the Government continued

to recognise the welfare aspect of childcare once the transfer was completed. “We are dealing with families and family support services. There is counselling work involved and many centres take children with special needs.” Mrs Lythe said the biggest problem facing childcare ns continued to be lack inding. This was reflected in the large number of remits passed by the conference calling for more money. “Underscoring everything we are trying to do is to say to the Government, ‘You must give us a fair go. We can’t provide quality care on a shoestring budget’.”