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Welcome to the Office of Early Childhood Education
The OECE is a national organisation for the ECE sector and public adviser, championing high-quality education and care 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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Education Bulletin and Sector Notices
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Membership Services and Support for:
Teacher Member Posts
Associate Teacher and Centre Information on Supporting Student Kaiako & Payment
If you’re a qualified, registered teacher and you’re ready to start supporting student kaiako as an Associate Teacher, we’ve got some helpful information to make the experience as rich and rewarding for everyone involved.
Lunch, Rest, and Breastfeeding Breaks – What You Must Receive and What to Do When You Don’t
Early childhood employees have legal rights to rest, meal, and breastfeeding breaks.
Working with young children is rewarding -but it’s also busy, demanding, and nonstop. Many early childhood teachers and employees tell us they’re unsure about what breaks they’re actually entitled to, especially when every service seems to make arrangements differently.
We explain your entitlements and what to do when your employer isn’t meeting the law.
Log in with your member details to read more. If your membership has lapsed and you’d like to renew – or if you’re interested in becoming a member – just get in touch with us and we’ll help you get started.
The good news is:
1. The law is clear
2. ECE services are not exempt. You have minimum break entitlements, and your employer must make sure you can take them.
Ko Tau Rourou Ko Taku Rourou ā Kua Mārama Shared Understandings and Reflection on Wairua
Reflections on Wairua. By Ngaroma Williams and Michelle Anderson with peer-review by Dr Mere Skerrett.
We came to write this article through asking questions, seeking clarification, providing each other examples of our own experiences, and then highlighting what these experiences look like using teaching and learning narrative approaches
Gifted in Reading
While most children who are turning five years of age may at most recognise their name and perhaps a few other words, a gifted child at the same age may already be capable of reading books at Year 2 primary school level and above.
Identifying a Child Who is Gifted in Reading
A child who is gifted in reading has most or all of the following characteristics:
Service Provider Member Posts
Differences between ‘Management’ and ‘Governance’
Management and Governance.
Governance and management are strengthened when these terms and roles are clarified and understood.
In early childhood services they often go together and it can be confusing to anyone without training in governance and management.
But knowing and understanding the difference is important – especially as Regu
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 committed to providing children, staff and whānau with an environment which is safe and welcoming and promotes positive outcomes for all childr
Children Screaming – Risk to Adult and Child Hearing
How a child screaming can hurt adult ears
What did you say? I can’t hear you. I’m cuddling a circular saw!
By James Lochead-Macmillan.
Most research into screaming children focuses on the production of the stress hormone Cortisol.
What is significantly less reported is how dangerous that screaming child is to their car
Disciplinary Process
There may be a time that you find an employee is underperforming or an employee is engaging in misconduct or serious misconduct.
You may not want to, but you will need to begin a disciplinary process with that employee. Here is information to assist you in learning about disciplinary processes as an employer or manager of early childhood s
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Breastfeeding Support and Practices in NZ Childcare: Studies and Policy Insights
Breastfeeding support in ECE has far‑reaching implications for child health, women’s workforce participation, and equity outcomes. These studies offer evidence‑rich insights and practical guidance that can inform stronger policy, reduce discrimination, and shape more supportive early childhood environments.
Call for Papers for the NZIRECE Journal
You are warmly invited to submit a paper to the NZIRECE Journal for consideration for publication. The NZIRECE Journal is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes research results, critiques, methodological papers and theoretical articles relating to children’s education, well-being and care in the early years (from birth and up to six or seven years of age).
Editorial on Parents as Partners in Early Childhood Education and Care
What is the importance of partnerships with parents in early education and care? An overview of research. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Book Review: Children’s developing minds revealed by parent-led research
A new book giving insight into children’s developing minds. What do children make of the stories we offer them? What do they think and feel as they listen to a parent read a picture-book? And what if a story confuses them. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
What We Do
Resources
