Parents in Yarra will find it easier to join playgroups in the future following Council’s adoption of a Greens initiative to increase staffing resources for Playgroups.
Playgroups offer parents and toddlers a regular time to meet together to play, socialise, and learn from each other and most importantly, to provide support and friendship to members of the group. They provide a social network to parents who may feel isolated and lonely with young children at home. Often life long friendships are started in Playgroups.
Research shows that Playgroups offer enormous benefits to parents, children and the community.
The Greens believed that Yarra Council was not providing the same level of resources to develop and support Playgroups as other local governments and that a dedicated staff position was required.
Council agreed to dramatically increase staff resources, provide free use of Council venues and develop an Aboriginal playgroup.
Local Government has a key role to linkup parents looking for playgroups and support them to find the right places to meet, which in many cases could be in Council buildings.
The ALP supported less resources going to playgroups and voted against the Greens motion.
