News 

Child Life Centre in Montgomerie Rd, Mangere, is getting a Capital Grant of $1.9 million to establish a new service for 100 children, mainly targeting Maori and Pasifika families. This service aims to bring participation in this area – currently 79 per cent for Maori and 77 per cent for Pasifika children – closer to the national average of 94 per cent.

Also in Mangere, Living and Learning Foundation in Bicknell Road is getting a Capital Grant of $1.57 million for a new service for 116 children, mainly targeting local Maori and Pasifika families whose children are not currently participating in ECE (current local participation rates are 82 per cent Maori).

The Niue immersion sevice Nukutukulea Aoga Niue in Kirkbride Road is receiving a Capital Grant of $998,000 to increase their number of places on offer from thirty to fifty through relocating to a new building on the same site leased from Manukau City Council.

Another new centre is the hoped-for result of a a $25,000 Planning Grant to Manukau Christian Charitable Trust to establish new service for fifty children in the high growth suburbs around Flat Bush. The local participation rate currently stands at 87 per cent, well below the national average of 94 per cent

Finally, three newly extended South Auckland services are Establishment Grants to help to buy equipment. Papatoetoe Footsteps Community Preschool has been awarded $29,857, Te Huinga Reo Kohanga Reo in Otara is getting $20,000, and Te Kupenga Kohanga Reo in Flat Bush has been awarded $8,000.

"The grants support the rollout of 20 Hours Free ECE, which started at teacher-led centres last week. Around 15,250 children at 455 centres across the Auckland region have been accessing 20 Hours free ECE from day one. We expect uptake to increase as more services apply to offer the policy," said Ross Robertson.

"ECE is a key priority for the government. We want to improve quality and see more children participating -- and cost shouldn't stand in the way of that, because children who attend ECE have a much better chance of succeeding in school and later in life."

The four large local grants are part of around $10 million in Discretionary Grants for services across the country, announced last week by Education Minister Steve Maharey. The Discretionary Grants will secure more than 500 ECE places nationwide, funding 16 providers to build new or extend current centres, increasing participation particularly for children in lower socio-economic or isolated communities.

Steve Maharey also announced over $235,000 in Establishment Grants, to help 14 other new ECE services get the resources they need to operate a centre, for example a licence, extra staff or equipment.

For more information 20 Hours Free ECE: www.teamup.co.nz/earlyyears.

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