Barnado Week begins

Press, 21 July 1986, Page 9

Barnado Week begins

PA Wellington Barnardo Week, beginning today, will be marked with a variety of money-raising ventures, a national postal appeal, and open days at the organisation’s day care centres and family support projects.

Barndardo’s national director, Mr lan Calder, said the Government had recognised the importance of quality childcare with its decision to transfer the responsiblity from the Social Welfare Department to the Education Department, but recognition was not enough. “Until childcare, both in centres and Individual homes, is funded to the same extent as kindergartens, we will be heavily reliant on financial support from the public,” he said.

Barnardo’s first responsiblity was to families under stress because of poor health, emotional problems, or financial difficulties. The children needed someone else to provide a stable environment for at least part of the day-and parents needed support and counselling. The other group was the increasing number of children of working parents, who needed the best possible substitute for parental care.