Operating at the legal staffing ratios places children at risk
I’m hearing stories of a boom in planning for and
New figures show the early childhood education sector remained largely
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Operating at the legal staffing ratios places children at risk and pushes teachers toward burnout, according to Dr Sarah Alexander. Her opinion piece explains how chronic under‑resourcing and reliance on unqualified staff undermine the quality of care and education families expect.
I’m hearing stories of a boom in planning for and construction of new early childhood education centres. It’s not being driven by rising child numbers.
New figures show the early childhood education sector remained largely stable over the past year, with the number of teacher‑led centres opening matching those that closed.
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Although the number of services remained relatively stable, the total number of available child places declined.
Dr Alexander says the stability in service numbers sits alongside a noticeable easing in demand. She says this is consistent with the latest waiting‑time data, which shows families are generally getting faster access to ECE places than in previous years.
Waiting times for early childhood education have dropped across the country, with new figures showing families are generally getting faster access to services than they were two years ago.
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OECE chief advisor Dr Sarah Alexander says that although the figures point to easier access, the shift is more likely to reflect a drop in demand than an increase in supply.
New ECE services are opening at pace across Aotearoa – but the story behind the growth is far more complex than the headline suggests.
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You can explore the full list of newly licensed ECE services in one place, here.
Ninety-eight licensing criteria are cut down to 80, while two have been cut entirely and 16 merged into others.
New licensing criteria for early childhood education (ECE) services have now taken effect. Sector experts say the update is a missed opportunity to improve safety and quality, describing it as little more than a renumbering exercise.
New data shows a dramatic decline in regulatory action against early childhood education services.
The ECE sector has delivered an unexpected bright spot in an otherwise difficult year for New Zealand businesses, recording its lowest number of service closures in recent years.
The figures come after warnings from some provider groups and lobbyists that the 0.5% funding increase announced in Budget 2025 would fall far short of rising costs and lead to widespread closures. In October 2025, claims circulated that as many as 400 centres could shut within a year. However, The Post recently reported comments from Associate Education Minister David Seymour noting that this was not the first time he had been warned of “real doom and gloom,” and that such predictions “have not come true in the past.” The latest data appears to support that view.
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This stability stands in stark contrast to the wider economy. Across the country, 2025 recorded the highest number of business closures in more than a decade, with many sectors hit hard by rising costs and tightening margins. Despite these pressures, the ECE sector remained comparatively insulated.
A young child was left alone in a locked early childhood centre van for almost 50 minutes after an excursion in 2022.
The incident was only made public in 2026, raising major accountability questions.
The National-Act-NZ First Coalition Government took office in November 2023. Erica Stanford became Minister of Education. In early 2024, David Seymour was given the early childhood education (ECE) portfolio. Shortly afterwards, he announced that ECE would be the first sector reviewed by the newly established Ministry for Regulation.
Easter is a time many children look forward to – chocolate, a long weekend and family time – and it’s likely you’ll plan something at your early childhood service.
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