Thursday, 16 August, 2018

The Andrews Labor Government is helping to get new community playgroups off the ground, giving families in the Broadmeadows community more access to valuable support.

Member for Broadmeadows, Frank McGuire, has welcomed the announcement that a playgroup based at Meadow Heights Primary School as part of the Community Hub Network, is one of 50 playgroups that have been successful in receiving a 2018 Great Start Community Playgroup grant to help them establish themselves.

Mr McGuire said that the playgroup at Meadow Heights Primary School will benefit from items such as toys, books, arts and crafts kits as well as mentoring support and registration with Playgroup Victoria.

The $50,000 boost will see new community playgroups right across Victoria – from Ballarat to Torquay and from Reservoir to Pakenham – with the program targeted towards regional and growth areas or locations where few groups exist.

Community playgroups provide opportunities for children to learn through play and parents to spend time with their children while meeting other parents in their community and supporting each other.

More than 40,000 children and 30,000 families participate in community playgroups in Victoria each year.

The Labor Government is investing $200,000 in the Great Start Community Playgroup Fund, which will support more than 200 new community playgroups across the state.

“This investment means we can do more for families with young children in the electorate and support them in these critical early years,” Mr McGuire said.

A further $200,000 has also been provided to Playgroup Victoria to build stronger connections between Maternal and Child Health nurse-run first-time parent groups and community playgroups.

Families are benefiting through the Labor Government’s landmark $202.1 million Education State Early Childhood Reform Plan to ensure kids are ready for kinder, ready for school and ready for life.

 “Not only are community playgroups valuable for a child’s development, but they’re also a great way to engage parents and connect them to a supportive social group.”

GeneralMedia Release