More kindy places in 2014 Funding from the Newman Government will help provide 700 extra children across Queensland with access to kindy this year. Member for Burnett, Stephen Bennett said the eKindy program, now in its second year, combined with 19 new or extended services opening across the state, meant Queensland this year would deliver more kindy services than ever before. “The Newman Government is working hard to provide Queensland children with the best start in life,” Mr Bennett said. Nineteen new or extended services would open this year - on top of the existing 126 kindergarten services which have been established in Queensland since 2010, providing more than 5,500 extra places for Queensland children. “The Newman Government, together with the Abbott Government will spend $30 million this year building or refurbishing playgrounds in 255 Queensland kindergartens, long day care and limited hours care services,” Mr Bennett said. “Kindergarten is play-based learning and it’s so important because it helps prepare our children for school and develop vital life skills. “Kindy builds our children’s self-confidence, encourages their physical abilities, develops their reading, writing and numeracy skills and cultivates a love of learning. “Kindy aged children need to be four years old by 30 June in the year they attend kindergarten. For example, children born between 1 January & 30 June will attend kindy in the year they turn four, whereas children born between 1 July and 31 December will attend kindy in the year they turn five.” Mr Bennett said early years centres also provide a one-stop-shop for families seeking assistance with early childhood education and care, parenting and family support and selected health services. “I encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to investigate how children and family centres can also provide them not only with kindergarten programs, but a range of health and other support services,” Mr Bennett said. Mr Bennett encouraged families who can’t access a local kindy because they’re from rural or remote locations, have an itinerant lifestyle or a medical condition, to use eKindy - a distance education program for children. “eKindy gives children a true kindy experience on their home computers where they’re supported by qualified early childhood teachers using webconferencing,” he said. “More than 160 Queensland children took part in eKindy last year and even more are expected to join this year – from small communities like Augathella, Boulia, Forsyth and Yarraman and Aramac.” eKindy is free of charge for eligible families and is funded through the National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education. For more information and to enrol visit brisbanesde.eq.edu.au Parents wanting to locate their local kindergarten can call the Kindy Hotline on 1800 454 639 or visit qld.gov.au/kindy. Current family events and tips for preparing children for kindergarten can also be found on the ‘Kindy counts’ Facebook page. More information about children and family centres is available on telephone 3893 0373 and about early years centres on telephone 3247 5657.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 04:26:53 +0000
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