Tēnā koutou katoa
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
Get Unrestricted Access to NZ’s Specialist ECE NEWSROOM
National and local stories, expert analysis, commentary, and more.
Education Bulletin and Sector Notices
Free to sign-up and receive
Membership Services and Support for:
Teacher Member Posts
Children Attending Multiple Early Childhood Services
Attending Multiple Early Childhood Services in NZ.
Children can attend more than one ECE service. But this was not always recommended.
When a child attends kindergarten, he should not, except in special circumstances, also attend playcentre. This is an overlapping of services and is contrary to the policy of nursery playcentres generally. It
Supporting the Language of Aotearoa. Mauri Ora, Mauri Rere – Striving to Thrive
Supporting the Language of Aotearoa.
Let’s review current teaching practices and see where we go from here. Despite substantial work involving kaupapa Māori over the last two decades our early childhood sector has not been as active as it could have been in reinforcing the speaking of te reo Māori and bicultural practices.
Ngā Wero – The
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.
Domestic Violence Leave
Early Childhood Teacher Domestic Violence Leave.
If you have any problem getting your right to domestic violence leave you can go to Employment New Zealand for support (there is no charge) or complain to the Human Rights Commission.
Contents:
Providing proof of domestic violence requirements. Your obligations, rights, entitlements, an
Service Provider Member Posts
Privacy Policy: Compliant, Caring Protection for All
A strong, up‑to‑date Privacy Policy is essential for every early childhood service because it protects the personal information of children, families, and staff while ensuring full compliance with the Privacy Act 2020.
With new sector‑specific guidance now in place, services must be confident that their policies reflect current legal expectations and best practice.
Our comprehensive policy template and procedures give services a clear, reliable framework to stay compliant, safeguard trust, and respond effectively to any privacy concerns.
Performance Appraisals for Early Childhood Staff and Managers
The Teaching Council no longer requires teachers to participate in an appraisal process – this requirement was replaced with a Professional Growth Cycle requirement.
However, the Ministry of Education’s licensing criteria that sits alongside the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations requires that services have processes for human resource management; including “a system of regular appraisal” (GMA6 home-based; GMA7 education and care centres; GMA7 playcentres; GMA7 kōhanga reo; GMA7 hospital-based).
The templates and guidance provided here covers performance appraisals for managers who may also be the service owner, and teaching staff (including unqualified and qualified staff).
This article also covers
How to conduct a performance appraisal, the process involved and 6 simple steps to follow
Tips for setting the scene properly and conducting the performance review effectively.
Values-based Interviewing as Part of the Staff Safety Check
Values-based Interviewing.
It is usual to conduct a formal interview with potential job applicants and to cover skills, experience and knowledge during the interview. This ‘technical’ interview is important to ensure that the applicant has the skills, competencies and knowledge to meet the job description and person specifications.
F
Health and Safety at Work Act Requirements
This is an easy to read summary and early childhood friendly perspective on the Health and Safety at Work Act. It also points to specific implications for centres, home-based and franchised ECE operations of the new H&S Act.
Expectations
This Act means that ECE owners/directors/managers/senior leaders can’t escape from being accountable
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Contents – NZ International Research in ECE Journal, 2018, Vol 21, No. 2
This issue examines emergent literacy across socioeconomic contexts, strengths‑based approaches for supporting vulnerable families, school‑starting age debates, early literacy perspectives for children under three, professional standards in ECE, and inquiry‑driven STEM learning.
Contents – NZ International Research in ECE Journal, 2017, Vol 20, No.2
This special issue examines the realities of educators’ work, from the factors that sustain teacher satisfaction and the emotional labour of early childhood teaching to access to professional learning and the challenges faced by field‑based student teachers.
Thesis Supervisor – How to Choose Good Supervisors for Your Study
Thesis Supervisor – How to Choose Good Research Supervisors
If you want to develop skills as a researcher, have credibility in the workforce as a researcher, and contribute to the knowledge base in your area of interest then doing a thesis with academic supervision and support is the way to go.
When undertaking a thesis for a Doctorate or a
Supported Playgroup Located on School Grounds: Developing Family Relationships Within a School Environment to Support Children’s Transition to School
A supported playgroup located on school grounds: Developing family relationships within a school environment to support children’s transition to school.
Marianne Knaus and Judy Warren. Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.
Full reference: Knaus, M. & Warren, J. (2015). A supported playgroup located on school grounds: Develop
What We Do
Resources
