South Australian ECEC services win grants to promote parent engagement

The South Australian State Government has announced $80,000 in grants to support parents and caregivers’ participation in their child’s learning and education, with early childhood education and care settings among the recipients.

The Parent Initiatives in Education (PIE) funding program aims to help parents and caregivers gain a deeper understanding about their children’s learning, how they can support their child’s education at home, and build positive connections and relationships between home and the ECEC community.

The program has a particular emphasis on engaging “underrepresented” groups, with 33 Government schools and preschools funded through the program.

Grant recipients Cowandilla Children’s Centre said the funding will be used to focus on an Aboriginal artwork project which aims to promote the importance of reading and build community connections through Aboriginal dreamtime stories and art with families and children.

Parafield Gardens Children’s Centre said the funding will be used to run family gatherings with Aboriginal families within the centre and beyond where they will share information around services and the learning and development of their child.

Munno Para Kindergarten will use the funding to encourage parent participation in excursions and outdoor environments.

South Australian Education Minister John Gardner said that many parents want to be more involved in their child’s education, and that the allocation of grants represented an important step in achieving this aim.

“Research shows that positive engagement by parents in effective partnership with the education community can have significant benefits, such as increased attendance and improved learning outcomes.” Mr Gardner said. He added that the most significant impacts are achieved when parents engage with the learning happening in their ECEC service at home.

“The initiatives supported by the PIE funding program aim to help parents be actively involved in their child’s education, have the confidence to help their child learn and to better connect with their school or preschool.” Mr Gardner said.

The full list of successful ECEC education sites are:

• Cowandilla Primary School and Children’s Centre – Little Library Aboriginal Artwork Project

• Kalaya Childrens Centre – Parent engagement in asset mapping

• Lockleys Children’s Centre – Community cultural inclusion and awareness project

• Munno Para Kindergarten – Going Bush

• North Ingle School and Preschool – Multicultural Cooking and Community Garden Program

• Parafield Gardens Children’s Centre – Aboriginal Family Gatherings

• Pennington Children’s Centre – ACE excursions

• Port Augusta Children’s Centre – Playing to learn

• Port Augusta Children’s Centre – Sharing our Culture

• Port Broughton Kindergarten – Noticing STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Maths) in our everyday life

• Unley Kindergarten – Parent Education and Connection Workshops

• Wallaroo Preschool Centre – Communication & Connection: Oral Language Developmental Opportunities through Nature

More information about the Grants and any future opportunities can be found on the South Australian Department of Education website.