PARENT INITIATIVES IN EDUCATION GRANTS

Mr BROCK (Frome) (14:23): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Can the minister please advise what the government is doing about assisting and helping parents be more involved with their children and their schools?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:24): I thank the member for Frome for his question. I know that he is very heavily involved in the schools in his electorate, many of which I am particularly familiar with, having my children attend those schools in their early years.

Parents and carers are the most important influence on a child's life and, together with teachers, their support forms the foundation from which our children grow, develop and ultimately succeed in life. This is why it is so important that parents are involved in their child's education and they have a strong and positive connection with their school.

The Parent Initiatives in Education (PIE) grants provide funding to encourage parents' involvement in school and preschool communities. Once again this year, we received a great response from school and preschool communities, with over 87 applications. The panel recommended 42 applicants from 41 different school and preschool communities. I take this opportunity to thank the panel for providing their recommendations.

The projects funded through PIE grants are many and varied. I note that the member for Frome received a large slice of the PIE this year. Schools and preschools in his electorate received four PIE grants. Blyth Primary School received funding for their Welcome to Blyth Primary School project to assist with ensuring its reception students and their parents make a smooth transition from kindergarten to school.

Bute and District Kindergarten and Rural Care Centre received funding for their relational learning project. This proposal aims to foster whole community involvement in the care and education of children. Professor John Hasley, Sidney Myer Chair in Rural Education and Communities at Flinders University will facilitate two interactive seminars at Bute. Clare Valley Children's Centre received funding for Family Fun Time with Andrew Mickan to encourage families to improve play at home, involving all family members and therefore strengthening family relationships.

Port Broughton Kindergarten secured funding for their interactive behaviour guidance parent talk. The parent talk is an interactive session that explores the significance of relationships in understanding and guiding positive behaviour. I am also pleased to inform the house that 19 South Australian Catholic schools received grants in this round of PIE grants.

Catholic school projects that received funding included strategies to help parents support their children to manage change and build resilience; help for parents to better understand speech pathology, psychology and occupational therapy; and a dad's day, an event dedicated to encouraging fathers to get more involved in their child's learning. Success in education depends on strong partnerships between teachers, parents and students. PIE grants foster these connections to give South Australia's young people the best chance to gain confidence, reach their goals, and be happy.