Childcare sleeping arrangements rigid and expensive

Labour’s insistence that all ECE centres must have closed-off sleeping rooms for children will force many centres to the wall, says National’s education spokespeople, Anne Tolley and Paula Bennett.

Ms Tolley says, “Chris Carter has received a letter representing hundreds of ECE centres telling him many do not have the money, the space, or the desire to build such rooms, but he is forging ahead.”

Ms Bennett says, “Even more significantly, the values and beliefs of Kohanga Reo say their young children should not sleep in closed sleeping rooms. The minister’s insistence that they comply shows a total lack of respect.

“Childcare centres should have the choice to do what best suits the needs of their children and the values of their parents. There should not be an across-the-board policy that, in some cases, causes cultural angst or financial hardship.

“Flexibility is not something we expect from this nanny-state Labour Government.

“I call on Chris Carter to take a pragmatic approach on an individual basis with these centres.

“To force ECE centres into building sleeping spaces the children would shun, their parents don’t want, and the centre’s cannot afford, is folly.”