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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
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- 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
Early Childhood Teaching Theories – “Putting the Cog into Cognitive”
Early Childhood Teaching Theories.
During teacher education programmes, lecturers introduce students to the joys of studying a range of theorists. But many teachers appear to put theoretical perspectives of practice behind them immediately the essay-writing is over.
The purpose of this article is to breathe life into the work of t
Death of a Pet
The death of a pet, especially a first pet, can be more traumatic for a child than it is for an adult.
Often the child has grown up with the pet and considers it to be as much a member of the family as the people in their family.
Or if it is an early childhood service pet, a child may have grown very fond of it and rely on it bein
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Children with ADHD in ECE.
ADHD is a biological disorder which is most often seen in school age children but can also be present in toddlers, pre-schoolers and adolescents and adults.
ADHD is usually broken down into three sub-categories: ADHD predominantly inattentive, ADHD predominantly hyperactive and ADHD combined type.
Children with
Medication Issues and Behavioural Disorders
Medication Issues and Behavioural Disorders.
Back in the day, disruptive children who acted out or caused problems around the house were usually deemed to be badly behaved and would have been given a clip round the ear or told to get on with things.
In today’s society, however, things have changed.
When a child is badly behaved, of
Service Provider Member Posts
Employment References
Have you been asked by a colleague, student, or employee for an employment reference?
Here we explain your obligations, what to write, and ways to provide a job reference.
If you are asked by an employer to provide a reference for a person who has not asked you to be a referee, do not provide a reference without first checking and obtaining
Fees Policy
Use and adapt this fees policy and procedures to suit your ECE service. Procedures may cover late payment of fees and debt collection, charging for public holidays, 20 Hours ECE, the WINZ subsidy, late pick-up fee and other charges.
Early childhood services have three main sources of revenue: parent fees, government subsidies and grants,
Excursions Policy and Procedures
Policy and procedures for excursions and outings.
An excursion is when children are taken outside the licensed premises as part of the learning and teaching programme while attending the service. It does not include an outing for emergency evacuations, drills, or to receive urgent medical attention (we provide a separate policy template for leaving the premises for these reasons).
RATIONALE:
In the rationale section of your written policy some things you may wish to include are:
Job Description for Unqualified Teaching Staff or Student Teacher
How to Write a Job Description for Unqualified Teaching Staff and Students.
Unqualified staff or teaching assistants can be employed to provide support to qualified teaching staff. Often services will have an additional position for a person-in-training.
Below is a template you can use and adapt for a job description for unqualified t
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Nuances and Perceptions of Home-based Early Childhood Education
Full reference: Davitt, G., Chellapan, L., & Keighron, C. (2025). Nuances and perceptions of home-based early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 27, pp. 56-68.
Login to read the full research paper below. Or order a pdf copy of the article from the main NZIRECE Journal page.
ABSTRACT:
Home-based early childhood education (HBECE) describes a type of early childhood education and care (ECE) that encompasses several widely recognised philosophies and pedagogical practices. Among psychologists, counsellors, therapists, and education professionals, there has been an increasing interest in researching HBECE. The aim of this research was to gain a broader view of the specific context, nuances, and perceptions of HBECE in Aotearoa New Zealand. Four focus group online interviews, with eighteen participants in total were held. The participants were service providers, visiting teachers, educators, and parents. From the interviews we identified benefits, challenges, and the overall perception of HBECE. Benefits focused on the family type environment, relationships, continuity of care, and small group size. Participants spoke of licensing and funding changes, namely: regulatory compliance, funding, and documentation. They perceived HBECE to be undervalued within the wider ECE sector and the community at large.
Key words: Group size, continuity of care, home-based ECE, personalised learning, flexible childcare.
Index for the NZ Research in ECE Journal, 2006, Vol 9
The titles, authors and abstracts for papers published in the NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, Volume 9, 2006 are shown below.
To view any paper, scroll to the end of this page for copies.
Too Much, Too Soon? The Multiple Roles and Identities of Newly Qualified Early Childhood Teachers
Helen Aitken
Index for the NZ Research in ECE Journal, 2002, Vol 5
The titles, authors and abstracts for papers published in the NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, Volume 5, 2002 are shown below.
To view any paper, scroll to the end of this page for copies.
Research as a Journey: The New Researcher as a First-time Traveller
Michael GaffneyChildren’s Issues Centre, DunedinNZ
Call for Papers for the 2026 New Zealand International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal Special Issue
Theme: “Quality Begins with Teachers: Workforce Challenges in Early Childhood Education”
High-quality early childhood education begins with a skilled, supported, and sustainable workforce. This special issue calls for paper that explore the central paradox of our sector – the significant responsibility placed on teachers despite the systemic challenges that threaten their professional sustainability.
In this 2026 issue of the NZIRECE Journal, we aim to examine the complex realities educators navigate and the resilient practices they use to maintain high standards of care and education. We invite submissions from both New Zealand and international scholars that address the essential links between workforce wellbeing and pedagogical excellence. Papers from different perspectives are welcomed
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