Playcentres must not be left to wither through lack of support, educationalist Bruce McMillan says.
The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Taskforce's recent report makes recommendations about funding. Most make good sense.
Of course there has to be a good return for the money invested in education, and scrutinising how it is spent is warranted.
It is clear, for example, that society needs to invest prudently and well in its youngest children to ensure they grow into productive and socially valued members of the community. There is plenty of evidence about the high downstream costs of monitoring, retrieving and repairing "failures" in our social and education system.
But to one group in early childhood, the report gets it wrong. While the report makes it clear that building partnerships with families is basic to early childhood education, playcentres - for which parent involvement and responsibility is central - are to get a massive funding cut.
The problem is that New Zealand's playcentre movement is unique in the world. It does not fit into "the system" as other providers do. But playcentres do provide good early childhood environments.
Playcentres are run by parents of the children attending. Supervisors must have qualifications from the local (regional) association. Many proceed to national playcentre diplomas. They are assisted by parents who share responsibility for sessions, and have gained initial certificates from the association.
The Otago association has an experienced team in support and advisory roles, visiting centres, ensuring requirements are met and suggesting improvements in the programme, and involvement of parents.
So do playcentres provide a good early childhood learning environment?
Playcentres are visited by the Education Review Office (ERO), the same as schools and other ECE centres, with the same expectations for teaching competence and programme suitability. ERO reports indicate the extent to which the centre meets its obligations in terms of the curriculum (te whaariki), and is being operated and managed in appropriate ways.
For example, one Otago playcentre's recent review noted it "has undergone major changes [and] relocated to a new purpose-built building". Later it says "a positive feature of the centre is the support given to families as many do not have extended family living close by. The educators and parents have undertaken training to increase awareness and knowledge of New Zealand's bicultural heritage."
When any local centre is required to improve its programme, or attend to any major matters, the Otago Playcentre Association is there to support the parents and supervising team to bring about the changes.
ERO reports are public and accessible online. That public availability ensures that all ECE centres meet their requirements, and deal with what may need to be amended.
Many playcentres are part of the 20 hours free early childhood education system, giving parents financial support as they work. That is only possible when what is provided to the children is approved.
Playcentres have also been regularly visited and praised by overseas visitors as an example of how good learning experiences can be provided for both young children and their parents.
That only happens because there is a professional literature describing, evaluating and supporting what is done. Playcentre has been presented to international audiences for many years.
It has also undertaken its own research to see how it can become more effective. One example is a 2008 report (available from www.educationcounts.govt.nz) about transforming learning at Wilton Playcentre. It makes interesting reading both about children's learning experiences and the links between homes and the centre.
A major point is that playcentres clearly provide support for parents, and enable them to develop into competent self-directed learners. They become members of a community of learners, not simply the adults who deliver and pick up the children.
And in New Zealand today are many women, and quite a few men, whose lives have been transformed by having been part of such a community. For when their children leave playcentre, the parents also move on.
Some of them, having gained their playcentre qualifications, stay as supervisors or trainee advisers. Some, having found new confidence in their ability to learn, go on to study at university, and eventually find positions where their experience is valued as much as their qualifications. They do become employed, often in much better ways than before their playcentre experiences.
Playcentre is in fact achieving what the New Zealand curriculum intended in a way not often recognised. While knowledge and skills in reading, maths, science and problem solving are basic, the purpose is to acquire the capacity to analyse, reason and interpret issues in a way which enables people to continue in life-long learning.
The parents undertaking playcentre training find there is a purpose to their learning: the learning relates to their immediate responsibilities in families and communities. It is real life-long learning.
The children at playcentre benefit from their early childhood experience. We now know the parents benefit too.
Why would this valuable part of the early childhood sector be asked to take a massive funding cut?
It is a unique part of the mainstream ECE system in New Zealand. It should not left to wither from a lack of financial support.
• Dr McMillan, a retired University of Otago lecturer in education, is also a patron and life member of the Otago Playcentre Association.
