Government gives $10.8m to help parents with pre-schoolers

2.00pm

The Government is to spend $10.8 million over three years on an initiative to help parents raising pre-schoolers.

The campaign known as Strategies with Kids -- Information for Parents (SKIP) will be for community groups to provide resources and training for parents and caregivers for children under six.

The money includes:

* $3.7 million fund for community groups wanting funding for local positive parenting projects over the next two years;

* $4.4 million to strengthen and expand existing parenting programmes;

* $1.8 million for resources to support the entire campaign; and

* $900,000 for monitoring, research and evaluation.

Social Services Minister Steve Maharey said raising a child was challenging and SKIP would give them practical help.

The programme had been developed following consultations with community groups and was backed by overseas research.

- NZPA