Operating at the legal staffing ratios places children at risk
I’m hearing stories of a boom in planning for and
New figures show the early childhood education sector remained largely
You are not logged-in. Or, you don’t hold an active membership for this particular area.
Check if this membership is relevant to you.
It’s becoming common for early childhood services to place teaching staff on casual or fixed‑term contracts – when the role is ongoing and really should be permanent.
Since the government changed pay‑parity rules to exclude all non‑permanent teaching staff, we’re hearing from teachers that some employers are now using casual and fixed‑term contracts to avoid paying qualified and certificated teachers the pay‑parity rates they receive funding for. This can mean lost income, fewer rights, and less job protection for teachers who should legally be permanent.
It’s more important than ever to understand your rights and know what type of employment you actually have – not just what your contract says.
Log in with your member details to read the full guidance. If your membership has lapsed or you’d like to join, get in touch and we’ll help you get set up quickly.
If this is happening to you or to a colleague, it matters. You need to know your rights and be certain about the type of employment you actually have.
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 be asked to sign an agreement saying you’re an independent contractor.
But being incorrectly hired as a contractor can cost you real money, key employment rights, and important protections. Many educators don’t realise the risks until it’s too late – which is why it’s crucial to check whether your work arrangement actually meets the legal test.
Log in with your member details to read the full guidance. If your membership has lapsed or you’d like to join, get in touch and we’ll help you get set up quickly.
Here we help you to learn how to tell if you’re truly a contractor or if you should legally be an employee, and what to do if something doesn’t look right.
Learn your paid sick leave rights – and what every person who works in early childhood settings needs to know to protect themselves, their income, and the children they care for.
People working in early childhood education get sick more often than those in many other professions. Close contact with young children, shared resources, and constant exposure to new bugs means illness spreads quickly. That’s why understanding your sick leave entitlements isn’t optional – it’s essential for your wellbeing and your job security.
If you’re applying for a role in an ECE centre, home‑based service, kindergarten, playcentre, or hospital‑based setting, one of the most important questions you can ask is:
“What sick leave do you provide?”
This article explains exactly what you’re entitled to, how sick leave works in real ECE settings, and what to do if you feel pressured to work while unwell.
Log in with your member details to read the full guidance. If your membership has lapsed or you’d like to join, get in touch and we’ll help you get set up quickly.
Why Staying Home When You’re Sick Matters
When you’re unwell, it can be tempting to “push through” and go to work. But in ECE, that can cause more harm than good.
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.
Applying for an Early Childhood Job.
Having a great application is important for getting the job you want.
Your initial application may be the only chance you get to impress your potential employer, especially if they do not interview every single person who applies. This means you cannot leave things out of your application assuming you w
The Joys, the Disappointments, and Why One Home-based Educator Knows She Has Made the Right Job Choice.
After nine years working in early childhood centres Kimberley had left her job to raise her own child but when a good friend needed someone to look after their baby, she decided home-based care could be a great way to continue her ECE career.
Working as a Reliever in ECE.
Most permanent early childhood teachers will have experienced relievers within their services, either from an agency or permanent relievers employed by their service and they may be interested in pursuing relieving themselves. If you are a reliever and for teachers who are considering moving from a permanent role
Bullying Experienced by Teachers.
In the following accounts, teachers real names have not been used for fear of reprisals.
The stories below were told individually to us and come from people working in different parts of the early childhood sector, for different employers.
The teacher accounts are hard to read. For some teachers the bullying was so bad it broke them.
Early Childhood Teacher Non-Contact Time.
At centres and home-based services, teachers or educators have a wide range of responsibilities in their roles and finding time to do everything can especially be a challenge depending on things like the number of other teachers, how many hours your service operates and the demands/ needs of caring of
Voluntary work in ECE.
There are many examples in the early childhood sector of different ways employers may rely on free labour, such as:
I was offered an unpaid position and it was a foot in the door as there were no jobs going in my area. I’ve been at ____ for four months and I do the same work as other teachers.
My centre manager t
Going Back to Work.
Here are 7 of the best tips for easing back to work after a holiday or other break away – smoothing the transition for children and others around you.
Tip 1: Don’t worry, be happy
Children need to see their teachers and carers relaxed, positive and cheerful at the start of a new day and especially at the star
Returning to Teaching in NZ or Going Overseas to Teach.
This article covers key things to be aware of, plan for, do, and get evidence of, to reduce the possibility of disadvantage upon your return to NZ.
Working in an early childhood overseas can be an enriching experience and a good way for teachers to continue their
An employer asked whether they could dismiss a male teacher simply because he didn’t match their assumptions about what “men” should do in ECE. This article unpacks the issue, shares expert guidance, and offers thoughtful replies to help services understand their obligations and support all teachers well.
Losing my Hearing – Signs of Hearing Loss for Early Childhood Teachers and What You Can Do.
Children are by nature noisy, and working in an early childhood setting can therefore be a noisy working environment -and especially during bad weather when children are stuck indoors all day. Children screaming can damage adult ears.
Employers do h
Clear advice on what to wear, what’s appropriate, and how to navigate expectations around uniforms, tattoos, jewellery, shoes and overall professional appearance. It’s a helpful guide for anyone starting a new role or wanting to feel confident, comfortable and respected in their early childhood workplace.
Asking for More Pay.
In this article we discuss:
Getting over your fear to ask for a pay rise. What your employer’s obligations are. Preparing to negotiate and what you can expect.
Getting over fear to ask for a pay rise
If you do not ask you may not get. If you believe you are due a pay rise there is no harm in asking. 
Not meeting adult:child ratios.
There are various ways that adult-child ratios can become a problem.
For example, does your manager or boss tell you that it is okay to go under ratio and not replace you when you go on morning-tea breaks and on other occasions provided you are still in the building or on the grounds?
Ratios
ECE Job Interview Questions.
If you have been asked to attend an interview then you have been short-listed out of the applications received.
The information below will help you to prepare for the interview and participate in the interview process with confidence.
This article covers:
what checks are likely to be done on youqu
Not Being Paid for Hours Worked.
A teacher’s work is never done. This is a phrase that are heard all too often in early childhood education when referring to unpaid work that is done by teachers. It is almost an expectation in some services that teachers spend hours of their own time setting up, cleaning, attending staff meetings, attending w
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
Help spread this vital ECE information, join our free social and email groups and become a member of OECE.
Sign up to our free newsletters.
