Food Allergy Management.
Sharing a sweet treat on your birthday is great fun, but in an early childhood setting it can be more complicated than simply working out how many pieces you need to cut the cake into.
If your centre or home-based service has children who have food allergies or intolerances, what seems like some harmless baking coul
Not a member? Service owners, managers, and community organisations may apply to join as a service provider.
It is prestigious to belong to the OECE. Membership is usually by invitation. Online applications can be made if you think your service meets the criteria. To be a member a service must have as its first priority a focus on being high-quality for children and families. It must also agree to follow the standards in the Code of Conduct for ECE Services.
Running a parent survey when you want to do one is simple – we handle it for you and provide you with a confidential copy of the results. We will also cover the cost of the survey.
Promoting your service online to parents is taken care of. The OECE has partnered with the My ECE website and the ECE Parents’ Council Aotearoa to give members free advertising for their service. For details directly contact My ECE
Free subscription access to the ECE Newsroom – your service provider member login will let you view everything in the ECE Newsroom.
Complimentary access to over 25 years of published NZ and international research – your service provider member login gives you free access to the Research Library and support.
Management and ECE employment resources and advice will be at your finger-tips 24/7. We have so much available in the service provider area of our website – ranging from templates for policies, guidance on managing cashflow and debtors, staff drug use, negotiating pay with staff, and through to topics such as best sandpit design.
We will make running a staff survey simple for you. You can use our specially designed survey. We collect the results and will provide you with a confidential report of the findings. (50% discount available to service provider members).
Did you know that the OECE meets personally and regularly with the Ministry of Education national team, and the regulations committee and other forums?
Political leaders and journalists are able to use the OECE to gain deeper knowledge on a topic or issue, and we provide a sounding board for ideas and feedback.
Members have a direct line of communication with Dr Sarah Alexander, to bring to Sarah’s attention and discuss what’s affecting your service and community of children, families, and staff.
We are committed to keeping membership prices affordable and providing value for money.
Membership rates start at just $250 for 12-months. Or join for 2 years for only $350. For providers with multiple licensed services, the rates reduce per service the more licensed services you operate.
Has this been useful? Give us your feedback.
You are welcome to add a link to this page on your website. Copyright belongs to the OECE so please do not copy any content without our written permission.
Information provided is of a general nature. It is provided ‘as is’, and we accept no liability for its accuracy or completeness. See our Terms and Conditions.
Anyone thinking about getting a job in ECE working in ECE or thinking about moving to a different service will find clear, practical information in this article about pay rates, employment conditions, and what to expect in different roles. It explains everything from starting salaries and pay‑step calculations to workplace rights, benefits, and how to recognise a supportive, professional environment.
Discover the key organisations and sector groups shaping early childhood education in New Zealand – who they are, what they do, and how they influence the services, policies, and people at the heart of the ECE sector.
Getting a job. How can my ECE qualification help me to get a job? With an early childhood teaching qualification you may find yourself attractive
Safety checking is required of every person who has or may have access to children as part of their work, such as cleaners and cooks at early childhood services, must be safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014 before being allowed to start work. The fine to the early childhood service of failing to do this is up to $10,000 upon c
The group is in the midst of the strange ritual known as ‘The Staff Meeting’. In this gathering, the leader communicates to the group, the tasks to be achieved, assigns duties and informs them of new requirements, rules and expectations.
An important part of the ritual is the response from the group, to the leader’s communications. Sometimes this is given at the time, whilst other groups wait until the leader has gone to utter the loud and anguished cry, “Aaaaaaargh!#$%! Not another thing to do!” Following this, they get on and do as requested.
Working in ECE we are very familiar with change and new expectations. We’re a very adaptive species. However, we have a tendency to just add on the new task, rather than look to see how it can be incorporated with existing tasks – or even replace some of them.
This paper is about working more effectively, rather than behaving like pack-horses and adding more burdens as they plod onwards, up the hill.
ECE employers – managing sick leave is becoming increasingly complex, and getting it wrong can put pressure on ratios, disrupt staffing, and create legal and health‑and‑safety risks.
This guidance covers exactly what you must provide, how to support staff appropriately, and how to protect your service when absences occur.
Running an early childhood service means constantly balancing legal obligations, maintaining safe staffing levels, and finding cover at short notice.
Log in with your member details to read the full guidance. If your service’s membership has lapsed or you’d like to join, get in touch and we’ll help you get set up quickly.
Sick leave is one of the hardest parts of that balancing act – especially when absences create strain or when you’re unsure how to respond in a way that is both fair and compliant.
Lying to Parents About their Child in Early Childhood Education and Childcare.
As early childhood teachers, how often and why are we lying to parents about their child?
We are constantly making judgements on what information to give parents about their children and what information to withhold. But in whose best interests are we acting
Marbles and other small objects might seem harmless, but in ECE settings they can quickly become a serious choking hazard. We explain what the regulations actually require and give you clear indicators to help you manage these risks confidently and keep children safe.
Substantial decline in the number of ECEs downgraded or closed for non-compliance with regulations, why?
The political environment likely impacted on the Ministry of Education and its enforcement of regulations and rules in 2024. We discovered a 53% reduction in provisional licences issued to ECE services in the second half of 2024 even though t
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.
