Here is a policy and set of procedures for the Collection of Children that you may use and adapt for your early childhood service. Services are responsible for upholding children’s safety at all times. This includes responsibility for ensuring the safety of children leaving the premises.
Reflective questions
Considering reflective questi
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.
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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
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
This special journal issue on Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood Education Settings examines how health and wellbeing intersect with early childhood education, from wellbeing literacy and Pacific children’s cultural identities to home‑based literacy, puppetry for belonging, outdoor risk‑taking, and healthy feeding practices.
FULL REFERENCE: Moloney, M. (2014). Breach of trust – Getting it right for children in early childhood care and education in Ireland. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. Special Issue: Early Childhood Policy, 17, 71-80.
Log-in to read the full research paper below. Or order a pdf copy of the article from the main NZIRECE Journal page.
ABSTRACT: In May 2013 an exposé of verbal, physical and emotional abuse of young children attending three early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings in Ireland was aired on national television in a documentary called Breach of Trust. This paper argues that while the programme raised public awareness of fundamental flaws within the ECCE system in Ireland, it also came as no surprise that bad practices had been exposed. This paper specifically explores the policies and government in/action that led to the public revelations. It also critiques the Irish government’s response to the issues highlighted and its proposed plan to address these issues.
Key words: Regulations; child abuse; early childhood education; policy; duty of care; participation; childcare supply.
INTRODUCTION:
On 28th May 2013 the Irish national broadcaster RTE aired an exposé of verbal, physical and emotional abuse of young children attending three early childhood care and education (ECCE) services in Ireland. This programme, titled “Breach of Trust” raised public awareness of fundamental flaws within the ECCE system in Ireland. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, T.D. stated that it reflected “poor practice, dereliction of duty and care resulting in the appalling mistreatment of young children bordering on abuse” (Oireachtas, 2013).
Some people however, were not surprised by what they saw. In fact, Moloney (2011) notes that in spite of numerous policy developments and initiatives focused on policy for at least a decade, there is a “considerable gap between policy and practice that seriously undermines children’s experiences in early childhood settings” (p. 172). While the ECCE sector attracts much attention at policy level, Moloney and Pope (2013) argue that consistent weak investment, a lack of a mandatory training requirement and poor salaries result in a sector that is low status, low paid, low skilled and unmotivated (Moloney, 20111) Consequently, quality practice is “sporadic rather than consistent” within services (Moloney 2011, p. 172). In relation to the examples of mistreatment shown in the documentary Breach of Trust, Fergus Finlay, Chief Executive, Barnardos, Ireland, stated that they “were inevitable due to the lack of State involvement in the provision of childcare facilities” (www.rte.ie/news).
Yet, over the decade from 2000 – 2010, the Irish State invested almost €1.139 billion in the development and enhancement of the ECCE sector. Furthermore, since 1996 the sector has been regulated and subject to annual inspections. In addition, the universal Free Pre-School Year (2010) requires pre-school service leaders to hold a basic minimum qualification. So how did the practices exposed on May, 28th materialise? Further, what is the policy and investment context which resulted in the practices? This paper discusses the government’s proposed pre-school quality agenda intended to address the issues highlighted in Breach of Trust and, questions whether enough is being done to support and enhance the quality of ECCE provision.
Within Aotearoa, NZ early childhood education pedagogy, the relationships of tuakana, teina are misunderstood, misinterpreted and/or misused. Ngaroma Williams explains how and calls for a Maori worldview to be expressed and better understood.
Our Key Concerns at a Glance:
1. Weakened Enforcement: The proposed changes shift focus away from child protection by making licence downgrades dependent on preliminary, softer measures. This delays strong action in response to multiple or serious breaches.
Teacher gender diversity is not on the Ministry of Education policy agenda for early childhood education. August 25, 2016. Wellington. New Zealand Police attempts to
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