September 18 2012

National Parenting Forum – Making a Quantum Difference

Parents Centres New Zealand National Parenting Forum was run over the weekend, from 15-16 September.

Says Chief Executive Officer, Viv Gurrey “It was an incredible weekend of inspiring debate around how we can all make a quantum difference. Parents Centres celebrated our 60th anniversary this weekend and recognised that the challenges for parenting, while different, remain significant. Parents Centres role hasn’t changed and our 51 Centres all make a positive difference to the lives of children and whanau across New Zealand.”

“25% of children in this country live below the line of poverty. That is a staggering 1:4. At Parents Centre we are impatient with the hand-wringing. - where are the community solutions? Parents Centre has always been working in communities as navigators for change and we are committing to stepping up to support the most vulnerable. While everyone is hand-wringing and procrastinating children are starving, getting sick and unable to benefit from our education system. We are inspired more than ever to be the vehicle for the change we need to see.”

The weekend began with Parents Centres AGM where a remit was passed to supporting the increase of paid parental leave to 12 months overtime. Viv Gurrey says, “Evidence is conclusive; this is the most important time of a child’s development and it is crucial that a baby has at least one caregiver who is able to dedicate their time and attention without the burden of financial constraints forcing them back into the workforce and away from their children.”

Says Ms Gurrey, “I am immensely proud that as an organisation we supported this remit. We set the bar high and continue to advocate for what is best for children and their families, despite the fact that it might be more difficult to achieve and not very popular in today’s economic climate. We remain dedicated to a vision that is in the best interests of children, whanau and our country as a whole.”

“It was great to hear such robust debate around this issue and a common agreement that much investment needs to be put into the early years of development. It is the early years that count and sets a child up for social and educational success.”

The Forum was opened by the Hon. Hekia Parata, Minister of Education and the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs. Says Ms Gurrey, “The Minister started the weekend with a clear message that strong and resilient families and whanau are necessary for a strong society. The entire weekend was dedicated to discussions around how we can all make a difference individually, and that collectively we can all make a quantum difference to society. Today New Zealand continues to face massive intergenerational parenting issues many of which contribute hugely to our unacceptable child abuse statistics. Parent education and support is needed now more than ever to build resilient families and whanau. More than ever we need to target support for vulnerable families where it most matters.”

“It takes immense courage and determination to tackle the difficult issues that are at the core of the stability of families and fundamental to the wellbeing of children and their parents. We are prepared to step up to that challenge.”

Parents Centres New Zealand Inc is the leading provider of childbirth and parent education in New Zealand, with the largest parenting-based support network across 51 Centres nationwide. Parents Centres has an extensive network of volunteers across New Zealand and a team of 190 plus paid employees nationwide. Parents Centres engages and connects with approximately 170,000 parents per annum.

www.parentscentre.org.nz

ENDS

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