Kids the focus for Labour MPs

Labour Party MPs Jacinda Ardern (front) and Louisa Wall with Rotorua candidate Tamati Coffey and local kids during their visit to Kids.com Central yesterday. Photo / APN

Labour Party MPs visited childcare providers in Rotorua yesterday pushing their Best Start package to caregivers and parents.

Jacinda Ardern, Louisa Wall, According to Jacinda Ardern, Louisa Wall and newly confirmed candidate, Tamati Coffey their Best Start package will give 26,000 families more time with their babies, provide up to $60 a week extra for more than 100,000 children, mainly in modest and middle income families, and give many families with a child in early childhood care $25 each week.

Every child under the age of three who is living in poverty will qualify for the full $60 per week Best Start payment.

The Best Start payment will benefit all New Zealand children born after April 1, 2016.

The cost of the package is estimated at $530 million in 2018/19, the first year of full implementation.

Ms Ardern, Labour's spokeswoman for children, said the policy cut across both the health and education sectors and would eventually benefit the whole country.

"Every dollar you spend in educating children you save up to $11 in the future," she said.

Mr Coffey said they had received a "brilliant reception" throughout the day.

"It's been a great learning experience for me as well because there are a lot of challenges in this sector."