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Welcome to the Office of Early Childhood Education
The OECE is a national organisation for the ECE sector and public adviser, championing high-quality education and care for every child
View our positions
- Provides membership support to ECE services, teachers, researchers, and community partners
- Actively contributes to sector analysis, research, and policy development
- Advances evidence-based best practices that prioritise children’s interests and wellbeing
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Teacher Member Posts
SUDI or SIDS – What you need to know and actions you can take to reduce the risk
SUDI Sudden Unexplained Death of an Infant.
Should an infant at your early childhood service die in their sleep how would you feel?
You might consider there was nothing you could do to prevent this from happening – that if it was going to happen it was going to happen whether or not the baby was in its parents’ care or your care.
Now
Making Signs as Part of Play
Making signs enriches play and learning.
All around us are signs – what ones can you see?
Signs can be used to tell us what to do like “stop” and “give way” on the road.
They can be used to let us know about dangers (e.g. “wet floor”) and to make announcements (e.g. “cooking at 2pm today”).
Signs can also be used to labe
Can Women Understand How Boys Tick?
Should Boys Have a Male Teacher?
I don’t believe we as women understand how boys really tick. If boys had a male teacher would this help their achievement and reduce problem behaviours?Female kindergarten head teacher.
Dr Alexander replies
Female teachers can support boys as well as male teachers at early childhood level.
Men Should Change Nappies
Men Change Nappies – Men Who Change Nappies, Change the World. By Bryan G. Nelson.
Changing the nappies of other people’s children is something that few people, men or women, usually rush to do. And nappy changing is commonly viewed as a woman’s task anyway so we shouldn’t worry if men do it or not. Or should we?
I remember wor
Service Provider Member Posts
Redundancy and Making a Position Redundant
Redundancy and the process for making a position redundant.
There may not be the work for an employee because child enrolments have dropped, your service is restructuring, or you can not longer afford to keep an employee on.
Whatever the reason, there are certain processes to follow to ensure you do not run into legal problems.
This arti
First Aid Qualifications and Staffing Requirements – All ECE Services
Number of first aid qualified staff and which staff must be first aid qualified in which services
From 26 February 2024, all persons designated the ‘person responsible’ in teacher-led education and care centres, including kindergartens must hold a first aid qualification from a training provider recognised by New Zealand Qualifications Authority
Getting Relievers and Managing Relief Staff
An early childhood reliever is a much welcome part to any ECE service. Teachers and home-based coordinators will require annual or sick leave, or you may need someone to fill in, while you look for a new staff member. Whatever the reason for your need for using a reliever, there are many questions and concerns that may arise for employers and manag
CCTV and Security Camera Policy
The Office of ECE provides this CCTV policy template and guidance to help services using indoor or outdoor security cameras meet their legal obligations under the Privacy Act, the Children’s Act, and other key legislation.
With camera use under increasing scrutiny, every service that operates CCTV in areas where children or staff may be present needs clear, transparent procedures to ensure lawful, ethical, and defensible practice. Gaps in your policy can put your service and the trust of families, at risk.
Log in with your member details to access the full guidance and template. If your service’s membership has lapsed or you’d like to join, get in touch and we’ll help you get set up quickly.
Home‑based providers may also use this template to develop a policy for educators who have security cameras operating in their family homes.
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Through the Eyes of the Puppet: Using Puppetry to Foster Children’s Sense of Wellbeing and Belonging
Research on the use of puppets and outcomes for children’s wellbeing and sense of belonging in early childhood education settings. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Nuances and Perceptions of Home-based Early Childhood Education
Full reference: Davitt, G., Chellapan, L., & Keighron, C. (2025). Nuances and perceptions of home-based early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 27, pp. 56-68.
Login to read the full research paper below. Or order a pdf copy of the article from the main NZIRECE Journal page.
ABSTRACT:
Home-based early childhood education (HBECE) describes a type of early childhood education and care (ECE) that encompasses several widely recognised philosophies and pedagogical practices. Among psychologists, counsellors, therapists, and education professionals, there has been an increasing interest in researching HBECE. The aim of this research was to gain a broader view of the specific context, nuances, and perceptions of HBECE in Aotearoa New Zealand. Four focus group online interviews, with eighteen participants in total were held. The participants were service providers, visiting teachers, educators, and parents. From the interviews we identified benefits, challenges, and the overall perception of HBECE. Benefits focused on the family type environment, relationships, continuity of care, and small group size. Participants spoke of licensing and funding changes, namely: regulatory compliance, funding, and documentation. They perceived HBECE to be undervalued within the wider ECE sector and the community at large.
Key words: Group size, continuity of care, home-based ECE, personalised learning, flexible childcare.
Early Childhood Education: Fracture Lines of Social Context and Neural Development
Early childhood education: Fracture lines of social context and neural development.
John A. Clark. Massey University, NZ.
Full reference: Clark, J.A. (2015). Early childhood education: Fracture lines of social context and neural development. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 18, 80 – 86.
Critical Review Paper
Editorial – Research on Child Health and Wellbeing
An overview of research published in this edition of the journal on factors contributing to child health and wellbeing in the early years of education. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
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