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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
Children’s Clothing and Keeping them Warm and Dry – Clothing Advice, Not Losing Socks and Hats, and Solutions to Other Problems
Cooler weather means more layers of clothing, for us and children. In the interests of minimising the spread of winter ills and chills, here’s some practical advice around keeping everyone warm and dry, as well as how to keep track of the extra clothing-particularly things like socks and hats.
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
Sleep – How Much and Meeting Parents’ Wishes
Sleeping During the Day at ECE.
Nap, sleep and rest times have led to tensions and stand-offs between teachers, parents and children in some centres and home-based services.
Perhaps instead of asking who should decide whether a child has a sleep or nap, when, and for how long, we should work toward solutions that please and best suit everyon
The Professional Development and Support Needs of Newly Qualified ECE Teachers
Too Much, Too Soon? The Multiple Roles and Identities of Newly Qualified Early Childhood by Helen Aitken. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Service Provider Member Posts
Optimal Outdoor Environments
By Cheryl Greenfield.
Young children have the right to inhabit optimal early childhood outdoor environments.
Optimal outdoor environments have the potential or power to promote and sustain meaningful relationships.
The location of spaces and equipment, and how welcoming the outdoor area is for adults, along with the aesthetics are highly influential on what children do. Poorly designed and maintained environments can be detrimental to children’s development.
This article focuses on the characteristics of optimal outdoor environments within a New Zealand context.
It is based on the findings of the qualitative research I have done over the years on early childhood outdoor environments.
Charging Parents for Late Pick-ups and Early Drop-offs
Late Fee.
Should you charge a late fee for late collection of children? Or charge the parents of children who arrive early?
Some early childhood services ‘fine’ parents to try to deter them from leaving their child outside of hours that are booked. Other services charge late and early drop-off fees to generate extra reven
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.
HIV and AIDS Childcare and Confidentiality Guidelines
HIV / AIDS Children and Adults At Early Childhood Services.
In May 2012 a Northland Childcare Centre was publicly slammed when it decided to send home an HIV-positive child. The centre was criticised by the AIDS Foundation and the story made the national news over several days. The centre claimed its exclusion of the child was temporary only w
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Through the Eyes of the Puppet: Using Puppetry to Foster Children’s Sense of Wellbeing and Belonging
Research on the use of puppets and outcomes for children’s wellbeing and sense of belonging in early childhood education settings. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Index for the NZ Research in ECE Journal, 2010, Vol 13
The titles, authors and abstracts for papers published in the NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, Volume 13, 2010 are shown below.
To view any paper, scroll to the end of this page for copies.
Editorial
Andrew Gibbons and Helen Hedges
Joint Lead NZRECE EditorsNZRECE Journal, Vol. 13, 2010, pp. 1 – 4.
Abst
Satisfaction with Autism NZ’s early support programme, EarlySteps
Reporting on a practitioner-led evaluation of an autism specific NZ early support (formerly known as ‘early intervention) programme, the findings, and recommendations. Login to view the full article. Or you can order a pdf copy of the article, go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Author Instructions for Preparing and Submitting a Manuscript to the NZIRECE Journal
These instructions for preparing and submitting a manuscript to the NZ-International Research in ECE Journal should be read in conjunction with the following journal policies:
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