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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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Teacher Member Posts
Big Body Play
Big body play is also called rough-and-tumble play, rowdy play, roughhousing, or horseplay that all children crave and need for optimum development. It includes loud,…
Can Women Understand How Boys Tick?
Should Boys Have a Male Teacher? I don’t believe we as women understand how boys really tick. If boys had a male teacher would this…
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…
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…
Service Provider Member Posts
Sandpit – Safety, Hygiene and Health
Sandpit safety and hygiene. There are many potential safety problems and hazards in regard to sandpits. Sandpit Safety. Ensure that active supervision of children in…
Home-based Service Start-Up Story and What’s Worked Well
Home-based Service Start-Up. We profile a successful private Home-based Early Childhood Education Service based from Christchurch, and talk with the co-owner about the ins and…
Mentoring New People to Come onto the Committee
Mentoring new people. Are you finding that you have to twist the arm of an unwilling parent or person to be on the board or…
Raising Concerns – Complaints Policy
Does your early childhood service have a well-written, well thought-out complaints policy? Getting it right is essential to support people to raise their concerns and…
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Brooke’s Day: One Child’s Experience in ECE
What is a child’s everyday experience of attending a fulltime early childhood education and care centre? This case study focuses upon one child’s experience within…
Early Childhood Practitioners Developing an Academic Voice and Tutors Making Sense of the Research Process
The study shares insights into the way undergraduate students who are early childhood practitioners in their final year of study developed an academic voice beyond…
Contents – NZ International Research in ECE Journal, 2025, Vol 27
New research on inclusive early childhood education, cultural responsiveness, digital technologies, anti‑bias practice, home‑based care, sustainability, and policy implementation. Across these diverse studies, authors offer…
Contents – NZ International Research in ECE Journal, 2018, Vol 21, No. 1
This issue brings together research on children’s physical activity, conflict‑related social development, men’s experiences in early childhood teaching, school‑entry assessment, transitions to school, differing perspectives…
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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