Opinion: In my view - More provision, please
Daycare Trust's hopes for the nursery and early years sector in 2008 address the big problems that parents raised with us in 2007.
Personally, my first wish is that the huge benefits of high-quality early years education start hitting the headlines, as an answer to some of the misleading and destructive media coverage that was a feature of last year.
With the extra funding pledged by the Government, we hope to see a rapid drop in the number of calls we receive from parents who either can't find a decent nursery for their child, or receive a bill for something that's supposed to be free. We'd like 2008 to be the year in which every three-year-old can really go to an excellent nursery free of charge for 12.5 hours a week, with no strings attached.
Parents love the free nursery places scheme once they know about it, and we look forward to seeing it develop, with the Government's commitment to 15 hours for all by 2010. We were delighted that the Children's Plan includes an extension of the scheme to two-year-olds.
Also on Daycare Trust's wish list for 2008 is funding to make childcare settings in deprived areas financially secure. This may mean extra Government subsidy, but it will be vital if the Childcare Strategy is to reach the children who need it most. We're also hoping for a big expansion in out-of-school childcare places, crucial to the Government's plans to get more lone parents into work.
Last but far from least, Daycare Trust hopes that for the workforce, 2008 is the year when early years education starts to be seen as the challenging and rewarding professional career that it could be, which means tackling poor pay levels as well as qualifications. If New Zealand can invest in a 100 per cent qualified workforce by 2012, why shouldn't we?
