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Welcome to the Office of Early Childhood Education
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Public adviser on early childhood education and a national membership organisation for services, teachers, and everyone committed to high-quality ECE.
We provide member support and guidance, along with contributing to independent analysis, research, and policy advice.
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Teacher Member Posts
Parenting a Gifted Child – What Parents Learn
Parenting a Gifted Child. By Melanie Wong. Someone asked me ‘how can you manage your life with children who don’t like to sleep?’
Can a Male Teacher Be Fired For Not Being ‘Man’ Enough?
An employer asked whether they could dismiss a male teacher simply because he didn’t match their assumptions about what “men” should do in ECE. This…
Early Reading Together: A Practical, Proven Literacy Programme for ECE Services
Early Reading Together® supports ECE teachers to run effective literacy workshops that strengthen how families talk, read, and learn together. This proven, research‑based programme is…
Are Marbles Really Allowed in ECE Centres and Homebased?
Marbles and other small objects might seem harmless, but in ECE settings they can quickly become a serious choking hazard. We explain what the regulations…
Service Provider Member Posts
Head Injury Suffered by Toddler on Concrete Ground in Mid-Winter
For an outline of key facts read our article: Nelson’s fall: Parents still don’t know how their toddler hit his head on concrete and had…
Preventing Children Escaping, Leaving or Being Lost Policy
This policy outlines actions to take if a child cannot be located immediately - and the systems, responsibilities, and procedures to prevent children from: leaving…
ECE Licensing Reforms Take Effect – What’s Changed
New licensing criteria for early childhood education (ECE) services have now taken effect. Sector experts say the update is a missed opportunity to improve safety…
Meal and Rest Breaks: What ECE Employers Must Provide
Does your ECE service meet requirements for staff meal and rest breaks? Check your legal duties now and learn how to manage breaks well. Log…
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Play and the Professional Early Childhood Teacher: A Personal Reflection
FULL REFERENCE: Stover, S. (2014). Play and the professional early childhood teacher: A personal reflection. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. Special Issue: Early Childhood…
Index for the NZ Research in ECE Journal, 2003, Vol 6
The titles, authors and abstracts for papers published in the NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, Volume 6, 2003 are shown below. To view…
Parent Engagement and its Influence on Early Childhood Education Teachers
FULL REFERENCE: Veldsman, A., Dzamesi, F.E., Tadi, P. & Sadeghi, A. (2022). Parent engagement and its influence on early childhood education teachers and their teaching…
Breastfeeding Support and Practices in NZ Childcare: Studies and Policy Insights
Breastfeeding support in ECE has far‑reaching implications for child health, women’s workforce participation, and equity outcomes. These studies offer evidence‑rich insights and practical guidance that…
What We Do
The Office of ECE drives high-quality care, learning and teaching for all infants and young children and high-quality working environments for teachers and service providers.
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