Government Expands ENRICH Program to Boost Early Childhood Language Skills in NZ
The New Zealand Government is expanding the ENRICH programme from 65 to 525 early childhood education services to help children aged 18 months to 5 develop essential language skills before starting school. Research and trial results show that ENRICH improves children's oral language, self-regulation, early literacy, and social skills by enhancing teacher-child interactions and reducing the negative impacts of high screen time. Budget 25 allocates $12.4 million specifically for ENRICH and a total of $297.7 million to the early learning sector, including significant investments in the Early Intervention Service to support children's early development.