How to write a Job Description for a Reliever Position.
Many services like to use relieving staff they know, rather than going through an agency.
Below is a template for a job description that you can adapt to suit and use. If you would like more guidance and ideas go to the main article about writing JDs.
Service name or Logo
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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
Learning Notes.
In most early childhood education (ECE) settings children’s learning is assessed using the Learning Story technique.
Dr Ken Blaiklock
However there has been criticism of this form of assessment with some people arguing it does not give an adequate picture of a child’s development.
In contrast to Learning Stor
Submission to the Education and Workforce Committee
The Education and Training (ECE Reform) Amendment Bill
Submitted by: Office of Early Childhood Education (OECE)
Date: 29 August 2025
CONTENTS:
– Introduction
– Summary of Key Concerns
– Our Position and Recommendations
– Errors and the Bill’s Shortcomings
– Closing Statement
INTRODUCTION
The Education and Training (Early Childhood Education Reform) Amendment Bill is promoted as a solution to improve the effectiveness of the early childhood education (ECE) regulatory system.
During the Bill’s first reading, Hon David Seymour shared the frustrations of ECE service operators he had spoken with—concerns that prompted the Ministry for Regulation review of the ECE regulatory system. He cited issues such as conflicting rules, a dictatorial approach, minor regulations enforced under threat of closure, and inconsistent enforcement.
The Bill is positioned as a long-overdue fix for these concerns, though it remains unclear whether the scale or severity of these issues truly warrants a full legislative overhaul.
However, the proposed reforms risk triggering serious unintended consequences—what’s known as the cobra effect, where attempts to solve a problem end up making it worse.
SUMMARY OF KEY CONCERNS
1. Sector Impact
The Bill is designed to reduce regulatory burdens for service providers—particularly those who struggle to understand existing requirements or view current regulations and penalties for non-compliance as unfair to themselves and their business operations.
However, these reforms could backfire on the very providers the Bill aims to support.
Looser regulation is likely to attract new entrants driven by commercial interests, potentially forcing high-quality providers to close due to unfair competition.
Government Early Childhood Taskforce Report. June 14, 2011. When it comes to being something that the early childhood sector could get excited about and see
The annual confidence survey provides a gauge of the state of New Zealand’s early childhood education sector and outlook. Each year, 1,000 people in the
Kindergarten Democracy Missing. Opinion Editorial. Dr Sarah Alexander. 4 October 2017. The Auckland Kindergarten Association is at the precipice of completely losing its community roots.
Bullying by Children as Young as Two.
Children bullying another child is not uncommon, and it happens in early childhood centres and homes. Around one in ten children experience being bullied or picked on as a consistent experience from age two years, according to findings of a longitudinal study.
Here we will look at: Should a child be called a bully? What is bullying? Examples of bullying. What’s normal and how adults can stop bullying from developing in the first place
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