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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

Nappies – The Options and What’s Best in ECE
As professionals, teachers are often presented with situations that require them to consider what is important to the families of the children they are teaching, while ensuring that they are working in an environment where they are comfortable and where their training and experience is valued and appreciated.
In deciding how to approach the reus

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.

Parenting a Gifted Child – What Parents Learn
Parenting a Gifted Child. By Melanie Wong.
Someone asked me ‘how can you manage your life with children who don’t like to sleep?’
I replied that ‘it is alright when you are used to it’.
I wish I had thought quickly enough at the time to also tell her how much I enjoy being with my children, as they did not only come into m

Supporting Boys’ Interests and Play in ECE
Ideas for activities and learning extensions are provided for teachers who are working with boys aged 3- 5 years.
There is a good chance you will see some gendered play and behaviour in any early childhood setting you enter. Our profession is female dominated and early childhood settings can be feminised environments.
Service Provider Member Posts

How to do a Press Release Right
Education Press Release.
If you are planning to invite a local reporter along to your event or send an education press release out to manage what the media reports about something that has happened at your service, it pays to do a bit of planning beforehand to increase your chances of success.
Here are some tips to get you started on the ri

Responding to a Child’s Disclosure of Abuse
Getting Help for an Abused Child. By Eric Hollis.
When a child discloses sexual abuse, it will always be distressing. It is natural for adults to feel at a loss to know how best to respond.
The information provided here covers how to listen and respond to a child who tells you, or hints in even a vague way, that she/he or someone they know

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

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 is my first time trying to get a grant…….I’m really on the fundraising committee but I just found out there is no funding committee so I’m giving it a go
Morning teas, cake raffl
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles

Solo Fathers with Young Children and their Social Needs
Solo fathers are an ‘invisible’ group in society, although Census data suggests they make up almost 5% of families in New Zealand. No research other than a review of Census data in 1999 has been done on this family type in New Zealand, and there is also very little published research overseas, especially where it includes young children. This i

Omissions and Presuppositions in Kei Tua o te Pae: A Critical Discourse Analysis
This research note describes some of the findings from an analysis of three introductory booklets of “Kei Tua o te Pae”, an early childhood assessment practice resource produced by the New Zealand Ministry of Education.
Analysis involved taking a critical discourse perspective to identify ways in which text was likely to persuade readers to

Nurturing the Learning and Development of Children who are Refugees
Phillipa Harris.
Full reference:Harris, P. (2019). Nurturing the learning and development of children who are refugees. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. Special issue presenting position papers, 22(2), pp. 26 – 34.
Page 26
Original Position Paper
Abstract
This position paper provides a plea for

NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal
The journal is indexed in Scopus and available internationally through Informit, as well as through New Zealand tertiary libraries and many university libraries internationally.
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