The SPACE programme (Supporting Parents Alongside Children’s Education) at Te Marua/Mangaroa Playcentre is an early childhood Centre of Innovation (COI). The early childhood COI programme is part of the New Zealand Government’s 10-year plan for early childhood education policy: Pathways to the Future/Ngā Huarahi Arataki (Ministry of Education, 2002).
COIs are required to design and undertake action research and to disseminate the findings. SPACE is an innovative new programme developed within the Hutt Playcentre Association, predominantly for first-time parents with newborn babies. The SPACE programme aims:
- To support parents in their role as the best and most important educators of their children through:
- Providing them with support and encouragement from other participants in the group and from experienced facilitators, as they share the journey through their child’s early months.
- Giving parents an opportunity to listen to and develop links with, a range of community organisations and service providers.
- To increase participation of children in Early Childhood Education at an early age, provide a quality curriculum, and maximise children’s learning from birth.
Key Results
The research addressed two key research questions:
- How does the SPACE programme, implemented at Te Marua/Mangaroa Playcentre for new parents and infants, support and foster their learning?
- How does the SPACE team and programme, together with Te Marua/Mangaroa Playcentre, network and support collaborative relationships?