Playcentre Leads the Way With National Parenting Programme

New Zealand Playcentre Federation
Thursday, November 24th, 2005

Playcentre Leads the Way With New National Parenting Programme

This weekend the New Zealand Playcentre Federation is holding the national launch of its new programme for first-time parents with young babies. Robynn Kopua, president of the NZPF noted that, "While the government is calling for parenting initiatives that they can support, Playcentre is already leading the way with the SPACE progamme."

The programme, Supporting Parents Alongside Children's Education (SPACE), provides a stimulating curriculum for infants and parents with education in a wide range of parenting and child development topics. Parents learn alongside their children and from one another, supported by skilled facilitators and invited speakers.

Over the next three days, Playcentre representatives from nearly all of the Federation's 33 Associations will gather in Wellington for a series of workshops and seminars in preparation for offering the nine-month programme throughout Playcentres nationally. Until now, it has only been available through the Hutt Playcentre Association, which has developed it. "We're excited that SPACE is now going to be available throughout the country," Mrs Kopua said. "It has been very successful in the Hutt, and other Association have been eager to support their own families with it."

The programme is already receiving recognition and support. Te Marua/Mangaroa Playcentre, running SPACE, has been selected by the government as a Centre of Innovation. The national launch of the SPACE programme has also been given significant funding support by the Ministry of Social Development's SKIP programme.

ENDS

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