|
United Future New Zealand's Caring for Kids policy focuses on the first ten years of a child's life. The first ten years, more than any others, determine the opportunities for the child as he or she moves into adulthood. Success in these years generally means success in later years. Failure in these years may lead to failure in later years, from which not only the child, but all of society suffers.
Caring for Kids Means Involving Communities
Healthy communities provide safe and stimulating environments for children. Local government, businesses and community organisations must work together to build the 'playground' that best suits the children of the community.
UNITED FUTURE WILL
- Fund after school programmes for children. Many schools have assets which sit idle for a large part of the year. These assets will be offered to communities for their use during out of school time.
- Require CYPFS, Police, and other agencies to take a proactive approach in cases of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.
- Encourage people receiving a 55 plus benefit or those who qualify for New Zealand superannuation, to assist with early childhood, school, after school and school holiday activities. United will acknowledge participants' valuable contributions by providing a community volunteer rebate on taxes.
- Encourage the corporate sector to support and participate in projects which create stimulating environments for young people.
Special Education is Central to United's Commitment that Every Child Gets a Good Start
United Future New Zealand is convinced that children with learning and other disabilities must have the best quality educational opportunities we can provide.
UNITED FUTURE WILL
- Support parents who wish to enrol their children in regular classroom settings, units attached to schools or special schools.
- Maintain the Special Education Service through Vote Education with its own board and accountability to Parliament.
- Require the Special Education Service to assess, monitor, and provide services for children with disabilities, develop special programmes, support and advise teachers and parents and provide information services.
- Insist that training in working with children with disabilities is included in the curricula of colleges of education and teacher training agencies.
- Contract providers to deliver in-service programmes for early childhood teachers to improve their skills in developing strategies to identify, monitor, modify and evaluate children with behavioural and learning difficulties.
- Expand the guidance learning unit provision for working with children with behavioural and learning needs and to support teachers working with these children.
- Guarantee needs-based funding for children with profound physical, intellectual or sensory disability.
|
1.