Does your early childhood service have a well-written, well thought-out complaints policy? Getting it right is essential to support people to raise their concerns and avoid situations escalating and further problems.
Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa. Let us keep close together, not far apart
Regulatory requirements and Te Whāriki
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
This issue explores cultural competence in teacher education, inclusive and culturally safe ECE workplaces, social‑justice leadership, children’s understandings of same‑sex families, and innovative perspectives on children’s thinking and identity.
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.
This special issue examines how parents and families shape early childhood education, from partnership models and parental wellbeing to fathers’ participation and culturally diverse perspectives on engagement.
This analysis draws on deep knowledge of empirical research on quality ECE and on evidence about what best supports positive outcomes for children in teacher‑led early childhood settings. It also reflects the experience and insights contributed by OECE members and our Early Childhood Advisory Committee.
1. Context and Purpose of This Response
The Ministry of Education is developing policy options to implement two Ministry for Regulation recommendations relating to staffing:
– “Allow greater flexibility in workforce qualifications…” rather than developing a strategy to attract and retain ECE‑qualified teachers in services struggling to recruit or keep staff, or addressing service reluctance to employ qualified teachers due to cost pressures, profit margins, regulatory settings, or other operational decisions.
– “Ensure the person responsible requirements are practical…” rather than ensuring these requirements reflect best practice for child safety, education, and care, and rather than reversing what was intended to be a temporary measure introduced during a staffing shortage that allowed primary‑trained teachers to act as a Person Responsible.
In September 2025, the Office of Early Childhood Education (OECE) provided the Ministry with a paper offering advice and analysis on these recommendations. It is available here: Reducing Teacher Qualification Requirements
This paper offers further comment and guidance in light of the policy options currently under development, to address the Ministry for Regulation’s recommendations on increasing qualification flexibility and ensuring the Person Responsible requirements reflect what is workable for service providers.
2. Why ECE Qualifications Matter
3. Risks the Ministry Must Put Before Ministers and Cabinet
4. Policy Options That Better Support Children and the Workforce
5. Our Recommendations for Amendments to Regulation 44
Supporting Participation of Indigenous Families in Early Childhood Education.
Elizabeth Corridore. Australia.
Full Reference: Corridore, E. (2014). Supporting participation of indigenous families in early childhood education. NZ Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. Special Issue: Early Childhood Policy,17, 147-160.
Kindergarten Teachers’ Collective Agreement (KTCA) Terms of Settlement. Before you vote on the KTCA offer agreed by NZEI and the Ministry of Education, check the
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