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Welcome to the Office of Early Childhood Education
National and public adviser on ECE, the OECE is a sector body representing teachers and all types of licensed services driving safer, higher‑quality education 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
Asthma
Asthma is quite common among children but many of them will grow out of it as they get older. Around one in four New Zealand children show signs of asthma at some time.
This article tells you about the known causes of asthma, treatments, when a child may or may not have asthma, and practical ways of improving the home and early childhood centre
Laughter, Jokes and Having Fun
Fun and laughter in ECE – in our relationships with children and each other.
Creating a positive, playful, and happy climate to be in is key to effective teaching for diverse children.
Some of the things that make us laugh and giggle are:
Tickles and playful games like peek-a-boo, this little piggy went to market finger-play game,
Picky Eaters and Managing Children’s Eating Habits
Picky eaters? Some children may display anxiety and unhealthy eating habits when they begin early childhood education, others may display behaviours at different times that you are wondering if these are normal, and what to say, do and change.
This article covers:
The adult’s role in providing for children’s food preferences and eating b
Child E-Portfolios
E-Portfolios in Early Childhood Education. By Julia Button.
This article describes and discusses the use and place of e-portfolios in early childhood education. Considerations for using e-portfolios and limitations are outlined. A special section looks at the involvement and contribution of families and others to children’s e-portfolio
Service Provider Member Posts
Family Exit Form For Feedback and Ways to Acknowledge a Child’s Time with You
Acknowledging a Child’s Time with You
Have you thought about how you’ll mark a child’s time at your service? Simple, meaningful gestures help children and whānau remember the transition and feel celebrated.
Ideas for the child
Farewell card with photos of highlights from their time at your service.
Book gift in an area of the
Adult Toilet and Staff Bathroom
There are many good reasons for having a toilet specifically for adults that is suitable for adults to use. Sometimes staff need to use the toilet within a confined space of time, for example, while on a ten minute break or a parent needs to rush in and use the toilet when dropping off or picking-up their child. There may be lots of toilets but most may be more suitable for children’s use – smaller, lower to the ground and often in stalls of small size, for safety purposes. Small toilets in small spaces cannot accommodate the much larger size of adults.
When a Child’s Behaviour Gets Hard to Manage and When Enrolment May be Terminated
Some behaviours can push an ECE service to its limits – disrupting the programme, upsetting other children, and demanding constant one‑to‑one supervision. When this happens, leaders often question what they can legally do, and what might unfold if a parent escalates concerns on social media or to local media.
In this OECE article for teachers and services, we share practical tips from teachers and service providers who’ve navigated these challenging situations, along with guidance on what can work and what doesn’t.
We also outline the circumstances under which enrolment may be legally terminated or a child may be excluded, and the key considerations you should work through as part of your decision‑making process.
Login to read the full article and get the guidance.
Complying with the Food Act
Complying with the Food Act.
All ECE services to whom the Food Act applies must apply for registration (under national programme 2) and be registered before they can provide food to children.
Exempt early childhood services
An early childhood service is not required to operate under the national programme 2 if:
It is a home-based s
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Index for the NZ Research in ECE Journal, 2000, Vol 3
The titles, authors and abstracts for papers published in the NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, Volume 3, 2000 are shown below.
To view any paper, scroll to the end of this page for copies.
The Early Years: Conceptual Issues and Future Challenges
Joy CullenMassey UniversityNZRECE Journal, Vol. 3, 2000, pp.&nbs
The State of Play in Early Childhood Policy: A Note from Australia
The State of Play in Early Childhood Policy: A Note from Australia.
Frances Press. Charles Sturt University, New South Wales.
Full Reference: Press, F. (2014). The State of Play in Early Childhood Policy: A Note from Australia. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 17, 11 – 20.
Invited Country Note
Abstr
Progressing Play
How to teach and not what to teach is the focus of ‘Progressing Play’.
The authors detail, discuss and throughout the book provide real-examples of children’s play and teacher action and responses – to support and inspire the reader to think about and extend the quality of her or his teaching in many different areas
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
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