ECE for families in most need
The Government is committed to high-quality early childhood education (ECE) and the benefits it provides to young children before starting school.
The Government’s priority is to improve participation in quality ECE by Māori and Pasifika children, and children from lower socio-economic status backgrounds, while also controlling expenditure.
These Budget initiatives, the expansion of the Home Interaction Programme for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY) and extending ECE to children in state care, will reach the families in most need. They support the Government’s participation projects and priority families’ attendance in quality ECE and ensure children in state care get enough ECE.
Funding of $20.3 million over four years has been provided in Vote Education and will be transferred to Vote Social Development, who will deliver the initiatives.
For more information about the initiatives, visit the Ministry of Social Development website.