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Victorian parents and children count on investment in early maths

19 April 2016

About 14,000 Victorian pre-schoolers are expected to benefit from The Smith Family’s proven early maths program, Let's Count, thanks to today’s $542,000 funding announcement by the Victorian Government.

The announcement was made today by Victoria’s Minister for Families and Children, and Minister for Youth Affairs, Jenny Mikakos, at Coolaroo South Kindergarten, with The Smith Family’s Victorian General Manager, Anton Leschen, Assoc. Professor Ann Gervasoni (Monash University), early years’ educators, parents and children.

Mr Leschen welcomed the Government’s significant support to expand Let’s Count to about 30 areas across the state over the next three years.

This will include training for 500 early years’ educators that will focus on how they can support parents and children to identify and engage in maths activities in their everyday lives.

Let’s Count engages children in activities such as counting, measurement, patterns and spatial awareness, helping develop their skills and their positive dispositions towards maths before they begin primary school.

Mr Leschen said: “This exciting and very welcome investment by the Victorian Government will mean many more Victorian children can be supported to develop their maths skills from an early age.

“Developing a child’s early maths skills is as important as developing their reading, but generally there has been less of a focus on developing this skill.

“Of particular concern to The Smith Family is that one in three children living in our most disadvantaged communities starts school without basic skills, including numeracy.

“Childhood maths skills are predictive of later mathematics learning and achievement. Therefore our aim with Let’s Count is to emphasise maths in the everyday, help children to see maths as relevant, stimulating and fun and set them up for success when they start school.”

The Smith Family, together with Professor Bob Perry (Charles Sturt University) and Assoc. Professor Ann Gervasoni (Monash University) developed Let’s Count.

A four-year partnership with the Origin Foundation enabled the program to reach nearly 13,000 children, almost 7,000 parents and 450 educators in disadvantaged communities nationally.

A three-year longitudinal evaluation showed Let’s Count strengthens the maths skills and dispositions of young children, and builds the confidence of parents and early educators to support the mathematical development of children in their care.

Mr Leschen said today’s announcement built on an innovative partnership between a not-for-profit organisation working with families, educators, academic, philanthropic and corporate partners.

A copy of the Let’s Count research report is available here: http://tiny.cc/TSF-lets-count-report