Early Education Federation Forum June 2011 Election 2011 – What’s in it for young children and their families?
On the 10th of June 2011 the Early Education Federation hosted the third in a series of three forums at the Mercure Hotel, Willis Street, Wellington.
The forum was entitled “Election 2011 – What’s in it for young children and their families?” and focused on the policy directions for young children and their families of the main political parties.
Speakers included:
Prof. Angus Hikairo Macfarlane (Professor of Maori Research, School of Maori , Social and Cultural Studies, University of Canterbury)
Rosslyn Noonan (Chief Commissioner, Human Rights Commission)
Dr. John Angus (Children’s Commissioner, Office of the Children’s Commission)
The forum also included a panel discussion involving representatives from three political parties. They were Louise Upston (National Party), Sue Moroney (Labour Party) and Catherine Delehunty (Green Party). Prior to the panel discussion, participants formulated questions asking for political parties’ views and policy intentions relating to early childhood education. Some of these questions were put to the panelists on the day but time did not allow for all questions to be put to the panelists. The questions have now been sent to the leaders of all the main parties asking for a response by the end of August. Responses will be posted on this website once they are received.
ECE Taskforce Report discussion
At the forum participants also discussed the recently released ECE Taskforce Report. A resolution was passed during this discussion proposing that the Federation write to the Minister of Education asking for information about the timeframe and process for consultation, and should the Minister decide as a result to advance any of the report’s recommendations that working groups be set up with representatives from the sector included and that the sector participants in the selection of working group members. A timeframe and process for feedback was announced by the Minister a few days after the forum. Responses are due on the 8th of August. The Federation will be continuing however to press for sector involvement in any plans for implementation