The Prime Minister John Key and MP Judith Collins visited our unique one-stop family support venue at Takanini Child and Family Centre on 8 August 2014.

Open since the beginning of 2014, the complex is housed in building that include a range of eco- features including passive ventilation systems, solar panels that generate electricity which can be put back into the grid, and water tanks used for irrigation and flushing of toilets.

Our brand-new early learning centre on this site enjoys a north-facing building that is bathed in natural light and opens out onto a large playground featuring natural materials and play spaces for all ages, an area for community gardens and an orchard.

This venue is unique as it comprises a range of Early Childhood Education and Family Support services:

•  Early Learning Counties Manukau ELCM-Takanini is licensed for 96 children, 12 under 2 years and 84 over 2 years, grouped in four separate play spaces. This service offers 20 hours free for children aged 2,3, 4 and 5 years of age, sessions from 8-12 and 1-5, six hour sessions and long days for working parents from 7.30 to 5.30. A cooked lunch is provided every day for $1. This service is open all year with a only a short closure over Christmas and two days in July to provide our staff with professional development to support the provision of high quality teaching and learning.

• The Family Service Centre is operated by Great Potentials Foundation where they provide:

Ø  HIPPY Home Instruction for Parents Pre-schoolers and Youngsters

Ø  Counselling

Ø  Budgeting

Ø  Parent courses

Ø  Adult literacy

Ø  Play group from 9-12 every Tuesday and Thursday where parents can come stay and play with their children and have a coffee and meet other parents.

Ø  Health Services including Plunket visits, Diabetics clinic, Women’s Health

Ø  Triple P Parenting Programme

• The CMKA Play Truck operates a service which goes out into the community to showcase to parents the value of ECE, and provide information about how to support their child learning through play. This service is funded by the Ministry of Education to increase participation in Early Childhood Education in Takanini and Manurewa.

•  CMKA Head Office is located at this site, providing support for all 29 of our kindergarten and early learning centres.