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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
View the Code of Conduct for ECE Services
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Membership Services and Support for:
Teacher Member Posts
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.…
Supporting and Involving Fathers
Early childhood education services in general do not do well when it comes to being inclusive of dads and supporting and involving fathers. Services could…
Choking Emergencies: A Practical First Aid Guide On What to Do
Choking emergencies can happen in seconds, and knowing the right steps matters. This practical guide gives you the essential, confidence‑building knowledge to respond quickly and…
Starting School – What Helps According to Parents
Parents On Children Starting School. Starting school is a major milestone in any child’s life but it can be stressful, and the success or otherwise…
Service Provider Member Posts
Governance Training and Capacity: Building a Confident, Capable Board
In many early childhood services, board and committee members step into governance roles with little or no formal training.
Staff Discipline and Competence Policy
DISCIPLINE AND COMPETENCE POLICY. A template to use for your discipline and competence policy. Date Effective: __/__/20__ Review Date: __/__/202_ Rationale <Service Name> is…
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.…
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…
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Factors Influencing the Use of Digital Technology in Early Childhood Education
FULL REFERENCE: Anderson, R. and Toh-Heng, H.L. (2019). Factors influencing the use of digital technology in early childhood education. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education…
Three-year-old Children’s Visual Art Experiences
FULL REFERENCE: Plows, J (2015). Three-year-old children’s visual art experiences. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 18, 37 - 51. Log-in to read the full research…
Embedding Parents’ Perspectives in the Discourse for Quality Education and Care in the Early Years
FULL REFERENCE: Bailey, E. & Solvason, C. (2019). Embedding parents’ perspectives in the discourse for quality education and care in the early years. NZ International…
Revisiting Rhizomatic Connections and Relationships in Young Children’s Thinking and Meaning-Making
FULL REFERENCE: Cliffe, J. (2023). Revisiting rhizomatic connections and relationships in young children’s thinking and meaning-making. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 25, pp.…
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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