Learnings from Serious Child Harm Incidents in Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education Press Releases NZ

Budget 2026: Still Not Delivering for Children in ECE

Budget 2026 continues the Government’s pattern of minimal investment in

Risks are Up: Budget 2026 Must Change Course

“The early childhood sector does not need a big funding

Andrew Phillipps - NZ early childhood education

Why We’re Building More ECE Centres Than We Need

I’m hearing stories of a boom in planning for and

How ECE regulation and policy changes are breaching children’s rights

Changes to ECE policy and regulations – from the winding

Why Recognising Primary Training as Equivalent Undermines ECE Expertise

David Haynes sounds a clear warning that treating primary teaching

Calls for More Action to Prevent Deaths, Serious Injuries, and Child Escapes in ECE

After the Office of Early Childhood Education revealed that a

Funding – Why ECE Sector Funding is Under Constant Pressure

Funding in early childhood education is under pressure. Here’s why

teacher in lovely interaction with small group of children. Six signs of quality early childhood education

Reducing Teacher Qualification Requirements in ECE

This paper responds to proposals for lowering qualification requirements for

Infant holds large ball at early childhood centre

ECE Participation and Child Outcomes: A Critical Review of the Evidence

This review cuts through political spin to reveal what the

2025 Annual List of ECE Services with Compliance Failures and Regulator Actions

The early childhood education services identified with compliance failures and

teacher wages, pay scales, in childcare and early childhood education

What ECE Teachers and Workers Earn: Pay, Benefits and Conditions

Anyone thinking about getting a job in ECE working in

many colours of paint concept for early childhood sector groups and early childhood education system

Who’s Who: Key Stakeholders in ECE and Organisations

Discover the key organisations and sector groups shaping early childhood

NZ money in wallet the funding, wages, and fees of early childhood education in NZ

Childcare Subsidy

The childcare subsidy helps families with the cost of early

Child playing with toy dinosaurs while a girl looks on the shelves for more toy animals at their early childhood centre.

Glossary of Early Childhood Terms and Jargon

A glossary like this gives parents, teachers and students a

2025 Annual List of ECE Services with Compliance Failures and Regulator Actions

The early childhood education services identified with compliance failures and

ECE Participation and Child Outcomes: A Critical Review of the Evidence

This review cuts through political spin to reveal what the

What ECE Teachers and Workers Earn: Pay, Benefits and Conditions

Anyone thinking about getting a job in ECE working in

policy, procedures and policies for early childhood services

ECE Policies: What’s Required, What’s Optional, and What’s Just Paperwork

Learn the difference between the documentation ECE services are required

fees policy parent and teacher communication at pick-up and drop-off time

Staffing Rosters: Balancing Safety and Compliance at Opening and Closing

Staffing Rosters at opening and closing can make or break

Sick Leave: ECE Employer Guide to Legal Duties, Proof, and Best Practices

ECE employers – managing sick leave is becoming increasingly complex,

Child and teacher talking at lunch-time table in early childhood centre.

Supervision While Eating – What the Requirements Mean and the Indicators to Help You Meet Them Confidently

The “supervision while eating” criterion is often misunderstood, especially the

Teacher Professionals Early Childhood Education

Associate Teacher and Centre Information on Supporting Student Kaiako & Payment

If you’re a qualified, registered teacher and you’re ready to

Financial Survival and Growth Tips for ECE Services

Strategies to help stabilise service finances, reduce pressure and make

teacher exploitation stress sad bullied work related injuries

Managing Staff Drug and Alcohol Impairment

Staff using controlled drugs or working while impaired by alcohol

Early childhood education financial and money matters

Fees Policy Template and Procedures: Family‑Focused and Service‑Strong

A clear and well‑structured Fees Policy helps early childhood services

Supervision While Eating – What the Requirements Mean and the Indicators to Help You Meet Them Confidently

The “supervision while eating” criterion is often misunderstood, especially the

Casual, Fixed‑Term, or Permanent? What Early Childhood Teachers Need to Know

It’s becoming common for early childhood services to place teaching

Teacher with girls in outdoor playground feeding baby doll teacher-led centres

Sick Leave: Key Rights and Rules for Teachers and Staff

Learn your paid sick leave rights – and what every

the safety of infants and toddlers playing with marbles

Are Marbles Really Allowed in ECE Centres and Homebased?

Marbles and other small objects might seem harmless, but in

Teacher supervising infant and young child playing in playground at ECE centre.

Supervision Basics: Four Skills Every Adult Working With Children Must Demonstrate

Active supervision is the single most effective way to prevent

giving children medicine Panadol, pamol ibuprofen and painkillers

Giving Medicine to Children: Safe Practices in ECE and Clear Expectations

Giving medicine in ECE settings requires clear policies, especially when

learning stories children looking at their photos

Different Ways to Write a Learning Story

Learning stories remain the most commonly used assessment approach, yet

Tikanga in Practice

As a part of my journey I have focused on

NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal

The journal is indexed in Scopus and available internationally through

ECE Participation and Child Outcomes: A Critical Review of the Evidence

This review cuts through political spin to reveal what the

Strengthening Policy Implementation and System Coordination for Equitable Early Childhood Development in Fiji

Full reference: Tiko, L. (2025). Strengthening policy implementation and system

NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal

The journal is indexed in Scopus and available internationally through

Affordability of Quality Early Childhood Education and Care

The cost of early childhood education and care is a

Te Whāriki: Curriculum or Philosophy

Early childhood teachers continue to struggle to implement content within

ECE Participation and Child Outcomes: A Critical Review of the Evidence

This review cuts through political spin to reveal what the

the importance of touch as part of caregiving and teaching children

Book Review: Children’s developing minds revealed by parent-led research

A new book giving insight into children’s developing minds. What

NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal

The journal is indexed in Scopus and available internationally through

Early Childhood Code of Conduct for Early Childhood Education Services in NZ

Code of Conduct for ECE Services

The Code of Conduct applies to all licensed early childhood

check boxes tick survey promises views planning

We Make Parent Surveys Easy for ECE Services

The ECE Parent Survey gives every licensed service (centres, home‑based,

Early Reading Together: A Practical, Proven Literacy Programme for ECE Services

Early Reading Together® supports ECE teachers to run effective literacy

ECE Services staff immunisation and vaccination

Immunisation and Vaccination Form

Working in early childhood education and care is a high

NZ Childcare Finance: Supporting Cash Flow Between Bulk Funding Payments

Bridging the Gap: Smart Finance for ECE Operators An advertorial

markers pens for young children in preschools and childcare

Marker Pens for Young Children’s Hands

Marker pens designed especially for young children’s hands Sunny Markers

Early Childhood Education Staff Survey. Manager and teacher planning at an early childhood centre service.

Staff and Teacher Survey

The Staff and Teacher Survey for licensed early childhood services

Head Injury Suffered by Toddler on Concrete Ground in Mid-Winter

For an outline of key facts read our article: Nelson’s fall: Parents still don’t know how their toddler hit his head on concrete and had a brain injury at childcare

We’ve reviewed the centre manager’s report of the incident, Ministry of Education communications, Worksafe report, and lawyer correspondence. The learning we’ve taken is:

Don’t take children outside until the outdoor playground safety check is completed and ticked/signed.

minimum licensing standards breached as this shows adult-sized furniture from which a child could fall

Toddler died following a short distance fall, possibly from an adult-sized chair

The death of 20-month-old Lorenzo was due, in the opinion of the pathologist, to traumatic brain injury following a short distance fall with head impact.

In our opinion the tragedy was avoidable. There were several clear and serious failures in Lorenzo’s care before and after his accident.

We hope that the sector will learn from this tra

This is a member/subscriber only post. To access it, please see the message below for details on access and joining.

SUDI – Death of an Infant when Sleeping

Sleep in ECE and Reducing the Risk of (SUDI): Learnings and What’s Legally Required versus Best Practice.

For years, the OECE’s chief advisor Dr Sarah Alexander has feared that a child would die from sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) in an early childhood education (ECE) setting. Now that has happened: An infant died from SUDI while

This is a member/subscriber only post. To access it, please see the message below for details on access and joining.

Holding hands showing friendship of two young children in childcare.

A Tree Fell at a Centre and WorkSafe and MoE Heard It

A tree fell on children in an early childhood centre and for the first time ever Worksafe prosecuted an ECE service.

Four children and one adult were injured.

The most fundamental practice change to be made is that every day the service provider and all adults responsible need to assume that something could go wrong. Don’t take a

This is a member/subscriber only post. To access it, please see the message below for details on access and joining.

Toddler Left in Car Seat Died

Unexplained absence.

A 16-month-old was found dead after his mum went to work, accidentally leaving him sleeping in his car seat in her car parked at work. She had not realised he was still in the car and had forgotten to drop him at the early childhood centre. Tragically the toddler died from heatstroke. There can be other situations t

This is a member/subscriber only post. To access it, please see the message below for details on access and joining.

Kindergarten Girl on Slide Nearly Died From Strangulation

Slide safety.

UPDATE: Another case of strangulation showing that lessons have not yet been learnt. A child died in 2016 at Angels Childcare in Auckland due to strangulation on a slide.

An Opinion article on Slide Safety

By Dr Sarah Alexander September 1, 2010.

The mother of a young girl nearly strangled after being caught in a rope

This is a member/subscriber only post. To access it, please see the message below for details on access and joining.

ECE Newsroom

For Everyone

Service Provider

Teacher

Research

Learnings from Serious Incidents

Service Provider Categories

Quick Links

Free Newsletters and Updates

The Office of ECE Login

Take Action!

1. Share This Information

2. Follow Our Social Pages

3. Get Regular Updates

4. Become a Member

Member Areas

Member Categories

Educator

Service Provider

Research