Quality child-care a priority

Press, 21 July 1986, Page 6

Quality child-care a priority

Quality child-care cannet be given too high a priority in our community’s plans for a peaceful future, in the opinion of lan Calder, the National Director of Barnardo’s New Zealand, The Government has recognised this with its decision to transfer the responsibility for childcare from the Department of Social Welfare to the

Education Department, but recognition is not enough, Mr Calder said. "Until child-care, both in centres and in individual homes, is funded to the same extent as are kindergartens, we will be heavily reliant on financial support from the public,” he said. For this reason, he has high hopes for the support which will result from

increased awareness of what Barnardo’s does, during Barnardo Week, beginning today. “The transfer has highlighted the importance of the educational experiences provided in . child-care centres, but, in this International Year of Peace, it is also appropriate that we consider the importance of a loving, caring environment for

children in their formative years,” said .Mr Calder.

"There are far too many children in New Zealand who would not get the stability and wide range of learning expediences necessary in their early years if organisations like ours did not provide quality childcare,” he said. Barnardo’s provides child-care facilities in Auckland, New Plymouth, Napier, Hastings, Palmerston North, the Hutt Valley, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, but as soon as finances permit it is hoped to establish Family Day Care Projects in such cities as Whangarei, Rotorua, Hamilton, Tauranga, Nelson and Invercargill. Mr Calder explained that there are two groups of children whose future development depends on good quality child-care. Barnardo’s first responsibility is to those whose families are under stress, as a result of poor health, emotional problems or financial difficul-

ties. These children need someone else to provide them with a stable environment for at least part of the day.

Their parents, too, need support and counselling to help them overcome their difficulties, and this is provided by Barnardo’s Family Day Care and Family Support staff. The other group is the children of the increasing number of working parents. Barnardo’s believes that these children, too, must have the best possible substitute for parental care during the day, in order that they may grow into happy individuals who can make the most of their schooling opportunities. "It is in the, country’s best interest that all preschool children in daycare are in schemes with trained staff and supervised carers, and that all families whose problems interfere with their parenting ability should receive help in overcoming their difficulties,” Mr Calder said. “Barnardo’s is commit-

ted to giving young children the best possible start in life, and we are now doing this for 6000 children a year through our Child Care Centres and Family Day Care Projects, and through our Family Accommodation Unit in Auckland and Family Support Services in Palmerston North and Christchurch,” he said.