Tēnā koutou katoa
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
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- 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

Museum Visit
Museum visit with children.
You might think museums are stuffy. But, they can be interesting even for younger children particularly if there are hands-on activities.
A trip to the museum can be a great springboard for learning. It can provide inspiration and play ideas for many weeks following.
Here are some suggestions

Face painting
Face painting – Kōrero mai
Throughout history and across many different societies, facepainting has been used for various purposes including camouflage, fashion, religious ceremonies and rituals or to tell stories about a person’s rank, to name a few.
Learning outcomes and benefits of face painting for tamariki in an ECE environment inclu

Children’s Clothing and Keeping them Warm and Dry – Clothing Advice, Not Losing Socks and Hats, and Solutions to Other Problems
Cooler weather means more layers of clothing, for us and children. In the interests of minimising the spread of winter ills and chills, here’s some practical advice around keeping everyone warm and dry, as well as how to keep track of the extra clothing-particularly things like socks and hats.

When a Child’s Behaviour Gets Hard to Manage and When Enrolment May be Terminated
Top tips on what to do, what to change, and support when a child’s behaviour has become unmanageable. The circumstances in which you may cancel a child’s enrolment.
Service Provider Member Posts

Job Descriptions for Relievers
How to write a Job Description for a Reliever Position.
Many services like to use relieving staff they know, rather than going through an agency.
Below is a template for a job description that you can adapt to suit and use. If you would like more guidance and ideas go to the main article about writing JDs.
Service name or Logo
J

Overtime – Paying Staff for Work Outside Normal Hours
Employers’ obligations and rights on paying staff overtime and when they work outside of normal hours. This article covers what constitutes work outside of normal work hours that an employee must be paid for. NZ employment law that cannot be negotiated out of with an employee. Legal requirements for waged and salaried staff. It also tells you

Losing a Child or Preventing Children Escaping Policy
Prevent Child Escapes.
Having a child slip out of a gate un-noticed or being sent home with the wrong person is something that everyone would dread.
It is expected that children are safe in their ECE environment and cared for at all times.
So in terms of developing policy and involving parents and others to play their part in ensuring th

Caring for Yourself When Managing or Leading an ECE Service/s
Caring for yourself when managing a service or in the role of a leader. And, the responsibilities that owners and governance committees must meet in regard to supporting the manager and leaders.
Introduction
There seems to be the perception and expectation that managers and leaders should be able to face difficulty in their role and �
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles

Index for the NZ Research in ECE Journal, 2005, Vol 8
The titles, authors and abstracts for papers published in the NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, Volume 8, 2005 are shown below.
To view any paper, scroll to the end of this page for copies.
Children as Rights Holders: Considerations for Research
Cindy KiroChildren’s Commissioner, New ZealandNZRECE Journal, V

Ideas for Play: Literacy by Emma Smoldon and Megan Howell
Literacy ideas is a NZ book written for families at home, parent educators in playcentres, and early childhood teachers.

Contents – NZ International Research in ECE Journal, 2022, Vol 24
This special issue examines how parents and families shape early childhood education, from partnership models and parental wellbeing to fathers’ participation and culturally diverse perspectives on engagement.

Contents – NZ International Research in ECE Journal, 2023, Vol 25
This issue explores cultural competence in teacher education, inclusive and culturally safe ECE workplaces, social‑justice leadership, children’s understandings of same‑sex families, and innovative perspectives on children’s thinking and identity.
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