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For parents
Your important role
Ways you can get involved
Team-Up – helping you to help your child learn
Other TKI pages for parents
Useful links
Your important role
Parents, families, and whānau have an important part to play in their child’s learning. Research shows that parents, families, and whānau who support and encourage their child to learn can make a huge difference to their future.
- It’s never too early to start, your child’s learning process begins before they are even born.
- Once they are born, you are the main source of new information and experiences for your baby. Creating loving attachments with those who have a key role in their life helps your baby’s brain to develop.
- As they grow and develop, it is your job to support and encourage your child’s learning, in little ways every day, to help them reach their full potential.
- As they become teenagers, it is important you are actively involved in your teen’s learning to guide them towards a fulfilling and successful future. It’s never too late to start playing a part in your teen’s education.
Ways you can get involved
You can support your child’s learning through:
- believing your child can do well in their education and encouraging them whenever possible
- getting involved in your child’s learning at home every day
- making time to get to know your child’s teachers at their early childhood education service or school, so that you can get their input and advice on your child’s progress and how you can help at home.
Team-Up – helping you to help your child learn
In 2004, the Ministry of Education set up the Team-Up information campaign for parents. The Team-Up programme – fronted by Team-Up Education Ambassador Tana Umaga – provides information, ideas, and materials to help parents of Young child 0-5 years, Child 5-13 years, and Teen 13-19 years support their children and get more involved in their education.
Team-Up aims to show parents that getting involved with their child’s learning is easy, doesn't require a lot of time, and can be fun through:
- the Team-Up website – over 900 pages of information, advice, and handy tools for parents of Young child 0-5 years, Child 5-13 years, and Teen 13-19 years
- TV ads – 15 ads showing everyday parents getting involved in their child’s learning
- email newsletters – monthly updates with tips, ideas, and competitions for parents
- free booklets – 52-page booklets with ideas and inspiration for parents of under fives, Child, and Teenager
- Health TV – a new television channel screening in more than 100 New Zealand medical centres
- News and events – Team-Up regularly gets face-to-face with parents at a range of events, including the Pasifika Festival.
Other TKI pages for parents
- Assessment information
- Career planning
- Copyright in schools
- Gifted and talented children
- Home–School partnership
- Learning experiences outside the classroom
- The New Zealand Curriculum
Useful links
Check out the following website links for more information and advice.
Child, Youth and Family
Education Review Office – find a report on an early childhood education service or school
Families Commission
Family Start (Ministry of Social Development)
FamilyWeb (Ministry of Social Development)
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Youth Development
Mission-On – healthy, confident kids (Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, SPARC)
NetSafe – keeping kids safe on the Internet
No Bully (New Zealand Police, Telecom)
SKIP – Strategies with kids, information for parents (Ministry of Social Development)
Sorted – financial advice (Retirement Commission)
SPARC – Sport and Recreation New Zealand
The DARE Foundation – educating your child about drugs and safety
Well Child (Ministry of Health)
