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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
Head Lice and Nits
Children get head lice. It's one of those things that is a case of when and not if. It pays to know how to tell…
Active Supervision: Four Skills Every Adult Teaching in ECE Should Know
Active supervision is the single most effective way to prevent harm - this article explains what active supervision is and the four essential skills adults…
Independent Contractor or Employee? What Home‑Based Educators and Nannies Need to Know
If you work in your own home under a licensed home‑based agency, or in a family’s home as a nanny or home‑based educator, you may…
What’s all the Fuss About Playdough?
Playing with playdough is an everyday occurrence at many ECE services, but the humble activity is subject to frequent debate with suggestions that playdough and…
Service Provider Member Posts
When Parents Want to Bargain Over Childcare Fees
Parents negotiating fees can put pressure on your pricing policies. Learn how to hold the line on fairness and why a carefully chosen discounted spot…
The ECE Fundraising Guide
Fundraising Guide. Hi, can you please help me and my kohanga. I don’t know how or where to get funding for an outside playground!!!! This…
Indoor-Outdoor Spaces and Room Layout
Early Childhood Centre Design Ideas. We show, with photographs, a different design and approach to using space for supporting small group and project work. The design…
Financial Sustainability
Early Childhood Service Financial Sustainability. Unless as much or more money is coming in than is going out, your service could come to be at…
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Primary School Entry Assessment in New Zealand
Research on the literacy and numeracy skills of New Zealand children when they start school. Log-in to read the full research paper below. Or order…
Huritao: Critical Reflection on Pedagogy through Assessments
FULL REFERENCE: Werry, S., Cown, P. and Skeoch, R. (2021). Huritao: Critical reflection on pedagogy through assessment. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal,…
Suffer the Little Children by David Smith
In his self-published book, David Smith reflects on over 30 years of working in early childhood education, mainly in teaching roles at a variety of…
Parents’ Choices of Child Care in Australia
FULL REFERENCE: Boyd, W. (2014). Parents’ choices of child care in Australia. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. Special Issue: Early Childhood Policy, 17, 51…
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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