Playcentre research

http://www.playcentre.org.nz/research.php?id=7

A link to this for those interested in Playcentres and Early Childhood Education:

Supporting Playcentre in the 21st Century

30/09/2008

The authors: Bernard and Maureen Woodhams, Woodhams Research Associates

Overview

Playcentre is a unique part of the early childhood education (ECE) and family support sectors. It provides holistic programmes based around the whole family, rather than just the child and where education is seen as an integral part of life rather than something that occurs only in an institutional context.

The purpose of this report is to provide a factual basis for understanding the needs of Playcentre and suggestions on how the Government and Playcentre Federation can support Playcentres and ensure their long term viability.

The first chapter of the report provides background on Playcentre and how it works. The second and third chapters outline the results of our research on the costs of providing Playcentre, and the issues currently affecting centres and the Playcentre movement. The report concludes with recommendations.

Some of the most interesting stuff in this report isn't actually referred to in this overview: (for example, the arguably systemic devaluing of full-time parenting as a legitimate and valid choice).