27 February 2015

Media release: for immediate release

Children’s Day – 365 days a year

Barnardos wants New Zealanders to celebrate Children’s Day on 1 March, and to recognise the effort it takes to raise great kids over all 365 days of the year.

“It’s important to have a national day to celebrate the joy that children add to our lives, the energy and enthusiasm they bring to communities in general,” says Barnardos Chief Executive Jeff Sanders.

“It’s also important to recognise the effort it takes to raise children from birth to adulthood, and the wider support needed to do that over the whole year.

“Barnardos is the only non-Government organisation that provides care and services of children from birth to 18 years old. We provide these services for all, and more to those who need it most.

“While Barnardos is here to support families and their communities, we know that nothing replaces that daily personal interaction between children and those who care for them the most.

“Families have the most influence on how their children views themselves and the community they're part of. Your involvement, whatever your role in the family, directly affects our children becoming capable, resilient and happy adults.

“Our increasingly busy lives, particularly the distractions of digital technology, are impacting on the time we spend with each other. Yet it doesn’t take as much as you might think to get involved.

“You could help out at a school event, turn sausages at a sports fundraiser or just hang out together and talk.

“This Children’s Day we would like families to turn off their phones, hang out with their kids and think about small things they can do every day this year to be more involved in their children’s lives.

“Ko ngā tamariki i te tuatahi – children come first.”

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