Young children adversely affected in Christchurch

Labour MP for Christchurch East Lianne Dalziel is backing NZEI’s call for urgent support for early childhood centres in the eastern suburbs.

“Enrolment levels at early childhood centres have been adversely affected since the quakes, a telling sign that families are both stressed and without support,” Lianne Dalziel said.

“A Ministry of Education Report, just released, lists a series of key recommendations, many of which Labour MPs raised with the Minister for Earthquake Recovery and the Minister of Education last year.

"The Ministry of Education report makes for sobering reading as the impact of the cuts is reflected in lower enrolments.

“Specific recommendations include; enhanced flexibility for families, more hands-on staff and the careful monitoring of families moving or transitioning between centres.

“We warned the government that its cuts, coupled with the impact of the earthquakes, would cause these problems. Hopefully it will see the need to respond now that this report has been released.

"I will be raising these concerns directly with the new Minister of Education,” Lianne Dalziel said.

Lianne Dalziel said that it was ironic that the government is consulting on vulnerable children and yet early childhood education, an essential building block for children, is now massively under-resourced in our most vulnerable city.

"The left hand hasn’t a clue what the right hand is doing and the government is merely paying lip-service to the needs of vulnerable children,” Lianne Dalziel said.

© Scoop Media