He Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens welcome the announcement that $24m will be invested into Early Intervention Services.
Minister of Children, Tracey Martin visited Toru Fetū Kindergarten in Porirua today to announce $24m is to be dedicated
to Early Intervention Services.
This came as a very welcome and positive message for He Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens. Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens runs
86 kindergartens in the lower North Island and three home-based education networks catering mainly to Pasifika and
migrant families.
“We know first hand the problems children and families face waiting for assistance” says Whanau Manaaki Kindergartens
Chief Executive Officer Amanda Coulston.
Extra money was put into learning support services in last year’s budget and the government hoped it would cut waiting
lists for those children needing support. Instead, waiting lists continiued to grow.
Currently, 11 Whānau Manaaki teachers are undergoing extra training on top of their teaching workloads, to become early
intervention specialists.
Amanda Coulston says, “the injection of funding into early learning support is imperative.”
He Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens welcome the opportunity to work alongside the Minister of Children and Ministry of
Education. As Amanda Coulston says, “We are committed to making a difference for all children and we want to work with
others to improve the lives and educational outcomes of those who are currently missing out”.
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