$15,000 GRANT TO PLAYGROUPS NSW
Children’s imaginative play and social connections between parents will be nurtured with a $15,000 grant from Labor to Playgroups NSW to expand the St. George zone area, creating greater access to 12 local playgroups for families.
The St. George zone area of playgroups provides over 40 sessions of Playgroup a week, providing access to early education and learning to children in a welcoming, and safe environment which gives children access to a range of educational toys and developmental experiences at low or no cost.
If elected, Labor’s $15,000 grant to the Playgroups NSW would go to expanding the 12 playgroups in the St. George zone. Specifically, this funding would assist playgroups in providing intergenerational support, boosting cross cultural participation and providing greater inclusivity.
In harnessing these three pillars of intergeneration, cultural participation and greater inclusivity, playgroups in the St. George zone will be able to boost participation to a wider community, all the while providing improved access with better materials to local families and carers.
Playgroups NSW is a valuable community resource for families unable to afford to provide toys and educational aids to their children.
Early learning assistance, like that provided through Playgroups in the St. George zone, encourages play-based learning and social development in babies and young children and helps facilitate friendships and peer support for parents and carers.
This funding for Playgroups NSW is greater support from the Commonwealth and is a long overdue recognition of the important place it has in the local community.
Labor is committed to doing more to promote early childhood development.
Labor has announced the biggest ever investment in early childhood education in Australia with the $1.75 billion National Preschool and Kindy Program.
Labor’s plan will see around 700,000 three and four year olds access preschool and kindy every year. This will also help parents balance work and family and help reduce the child care bill for families with children already in early education.