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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
View the Code of Conduct for ECE Services
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Teacher Member Posts
Child Vaccination Requirements
Children’s Immunisation and ECE.
One of the key international measures of a healthy population is a country’s percentage of children fully immunised against diseases.
The higher the immunisation rate, the more successful NZ is seen to be in protecting young children’s health. However, there are things you need to know and issues
Controlled Crying or Training Children to Settle Themselves to Sleep
Controlled Crying.
This article discusses the Controlled Crying method. It gives clarity to conflicting opinions about whether this is a good practice and its benefits. We discuss if this method should and can be used in early childhood education (ECE) settings and in our teaching practice. Suggestions are included for other ways of support
Children with Coughs and Colds
Coughs and Colds – Administration of Medicine and Communication with Parents about Best / Safe Practices.
Health authorities warn against the use of cough and cold medicines for children under the age of 6 years- except for those containing only bromhexine or intra-nasal decongestants (such as oxymetazoline and xylometazoline) and the
What a Primary Caregiving System is and Common Questions
This article provides an easy-to-read discussion about primary caregiving in early childhood centres. It covers some common questions and concerns relating to a primary caregiving system.
The main reason why early childhood services go for this particular organisational model of staffing is they are concerned for
Service Provider Member Posts
90-day Trial Period
All employers in New Zealand, no matter their size, are able to use 90-day trial periods. 90-day trials will not affect other aspects of employment relations, such as the requirement to act in good faith. It can be used for any staff – including and not limited to teachers, cleaners, cooks, administrators).
If you wish to put a new staff me
Would you give marbles to a 1-year-old?
Would you give marbles to a 1-year-old? Is it a breach of regulations or licensing expectations? The answer might surprise you.
You know what a young child is like. They can pick up marbles. They may put a marble/s in their mouth or even their nose. This poses a significant risk to children.
Yet, the action of not putting marbles out of rea
Privacy Policy
Preparing a policy on privacy, what to put in your privacy policy, why, and what else to consider so you don’t miss anything.
Early childhood services must meet the requirements of the Privacy Act 2020. Understanding and implementing the Act’s requirements allow services to protect and respect the privacy of children, their family whānau, and
No-Cost Advertising and Service Promotion
Marketing and Promotion.
Competition from other service providers in your area should not result in your service closing its doors. If you provide a quality service, do your home-work and develop a plan to keep children and attract new families.
The standard marketing and advertising advice is:
1. Develop a plan.
2. Consider c
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Early Intervention in Aotearoa New Zealand: Services and Challenges
Early Intervention in Aotearoa New Zealand: Services and Challenges.
Kathleen Liberty. University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
Full reference: Liberty, K. (2014). Early intervention in Aotearoa New Zealand: Services and challenges. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. Special Issue: Early Childhood Policy, 17, 115-146.
Early Childhood Educators’ Workplace Well-being
Catherine Jones, Fay Hadley, Manjula Waniganayake and Melissa Johnstone. Macquarie University, New South Wales.
Full reference:Jones, C., Hadley, F., Waniganayake, M. & Johnstone, M. (2019). Early childhood educators’ workplace well-being: A case for using self-determination theory to understand and support workplace well-being in earl
Increasing Early Childhood Education Enrolment and Attendance Rates
Report on a project to increase child enrolment and attendance rates at early childhood centres in socio-economically deprived areas of NZ. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Editorial on Parents as Partners in Early Childhood Education and Care
What is the importance of partnerships with parents in early education and care? An overview of research. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
What We Do
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