Active Supervision: Four Skills Every Adult Teaching in ECE Should Know
Active supervision is the single most effective way to prevent harm - this article explains what active supervision is and the four essential skills adults…
Touch in Early Childhood Education: Do No‑Touch Policies Belong?
The article explores how no‑touch policies in ECE emerged and why they continue to shape teacher behaviour, raising important questions about what kinds of touch…
Spot Checks: Protecting Safety and Standards
Spot Checks: Protecting Safety and Standards This opinion article is published as part of our 'Speaking-up' series By Bonnie Te Ara Henare. 11 December 2024.…
Force-Feeding Children: Why Silence Enables Harm
Force‑feeding is a hidden harm in early childhood settings - this piece exposes why it happens, why speaking up is so hard, and why children…
Regulation for Fresh Air Ventilation in Centres is Not Enforced
Ministry of Education Lack of Enforcement on Ventilation. July 27, 2022. By law early childhood centres must have adequate ventilation (natural or mechanical) that allows…
Should Child Abuse Reporting Be Mandatory?
The early childhood sector has sent a clear message: mandatory reporting of child abuse should become law, with 92% of respondents saying it’s needed to…
Red Flags on Child Safety at an ECE Centre Ignored: The Long Road to Cancelling its Licence
Serious safety concerns at an ECE centre went unaddressed for years. This article uncovers how red flags were repeatedly raised, ignored, and allowed to escalate…
Kept in the Dark: The New Shoots Tauranga Licence Breach Story
Parents were kept in the dark about repeated licence breaches at New Shoots Tauranga. This article shows what wasn’t disclosed and what families everywhere can…
Our Position on Food Safety and Safe Eating
We explain why strict attention to choking and allergy risks is essential, and how gaps in current regulations have led to preventable harm. Every educator…
Discoveries Educare Legal Battle with the Ministry to Keep Centres Open
July 9, 2020. The Discoveries Educare Lincoln Road Henderson centre is the latest in the Auckland childcare chain to be closed by the Ministry of…
Deaths, Child Neglect and Serious Injuries in Early Childhood Education Services
COMMENTARY/OPINIONAugust 9, 2021To give you insight into things that can happen, child deaths and injuries at Early Childhood Education Services are listed below. The list…
Trusted Woman ECE Centre Teacher Engaged in Sexual Exploitation of Children
Indecent pictures of children, including bathroom pics, were taken by teacher "K" at her early childhood centre, using her mobile phone and shared online.
Law Change Supporting Safer Eating in Early Childhood Centres for Children
Safer Eating in Early Childhood Centres. December 8, 2020. "Not allowing children’s lives to be endangered through the provision of food they can easily choke…
Review of Ministry of Education Needed into its Handling of Serious Incidents
Review of the Ministry of Education is Needed. The most basic expectation every parent has when using an early childhood service is that their child…
Ministry of Education and ERO Fail to Stop Services Breaking Regulations
Opinion article. Dr Sarah Alexander. March 15, 2019. Many of us are surprised when an early childhood service we thought to be good because it…
Choking on Apple: Investigation Report on a Most Serious Preventable Incident
This investigative report examines how a toddler’s choking on raw apple led to life‑altering injuries and exposed serious gaps in ECE safety oversight. It questions…
Allegations of Horrific Abuse Against Children at Centre
September 5, 2018. Sealey Street childcare centre in Thames has been shut down by the Ministry of Education. This followed the Ministry of Education being…
Centre Manager Abuse of Children
Centre Manager Abuse. July 31, 2017. As early childhood centre manager Lynn Abraham, who smacked and force-fed children and washed a child’s mouth with soap…
Infant at centre left horribly burnt by hot water
Infant at centre left horribly burnt by hot water OPINION. Dr Sarah Alexander. February 19. 2017. An infant was burnt horribly while being bathed at…
