Child Care News
Whānau-centred care for young parents’ pilot launches
Mirage News - beehive.govt.nz - December 11, 2020The Government is progressing its work on supporting families and children with today’s Rotorua launch of “Tiaki Whānau”, a pilot programme which will provide better support for young parents who most need extra help. “The Government allocated $10 million as part of Budget...
Convicted sex offender acted as 'Santa' at childcare centre's Christmas parties
Stuff NZ - Alison Mau - December 9, 2020An Auckland childcare centre asked a convicted sex offender to act as “Santa” at Christmas parties in 2017 and 2018, without conducting a police check first. Geoffrey Desmond Mitchell, 53, was convicted on four charges of indecency and jailed in 1997. A family member said she...
Ministry moves to prevent choking in early childhood centres
Stuff NZ - Laura Wiltshire - December 8, 2020The mother of a child who was left severely disabled after choking at daycare says she is pleased with new guidelines aimed at preventing similar incidents. In 2016 Marama Renata’s then 22-month-old son, Neihana, choked on a piece of raw apple given to him by his daycare, despite...
Spike in norovirus outbreaks at Auckland early learning services under investigation
NZ Herald - RNZ - December 8, 2020Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) is investigating a tenfold increase in norovirus outbreaks in the region's early learning services in the last month. During November, ARPHS responded to 29 norovirus outbreaks, with 21 of these being in early learning service...
Screen Time: Most preschoolers get too much screen time. Are the guidelines, or our parenting, the problem?
Stuff - Katie Kenny - December 8, 2020Excessive exposure to screens is bad for young brains, the evidence is clear. So why are 95 per cent of Kiwi kids aged between 6 months and 4 years getting more than the recommended screen times? National Correspondent Katie Kenny reports. Most parents ...
Tips for avoiding norovirus this summer
Stuff - Dr Catherine McLeod and Glenda Lewis - December 7, 2020In the UK, it’s estimated that for every reported case of gastrointestinal infection, nearly 300 are unreported. In New Zealand, there are more than 6000 reported norovirus cases every year, although it is not a notifiable disease unless there is an outbreak. You can do the arithmetic...
Screen Time: In pursuit of a pencil and paper education in a digital society
Stuff - Katie Kenny - December 5, 2020The average eight-year-old in New Zealand spends four hours a day staring at a screen. Worried about the potential ill-effects of technology-heavy lifestyles, some parents are opting out. Florian Franzmayr says it’s a “happy accident” his household is screen free...
Childcare premises in former Gisborne church up for sale
Voxy.co.nz - December 7, 2020A converted evangelical church on Gisborne’s main street which now houses a national childcare provider has been placed on the market for sale. The property at 481 Gladstone Road is occupied on a long-term lease by the operators of The Point Early Learning Centre...
Should grandparents get paid for babysitting grandchildren?
NZ Herald - December 7, 2020A grandmother asking for payment for babysitting her granddaughter has sparked a heated debate online, with social media users questioning if grandparents should in fact be paid for childcare? And if you have to pay a grandparent to look after your child, are you entitled to expect...
Mastercard Index Of Women Entrepreneurs: COVID-19 Crisis Could Set-back A Generation Of Women In Business
Scoop NZ - Press Release: Mastercard - December 2, 2020Women across the world have been disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic – a staggering 87% of women business owners say they have been adversely affected. Overrepresentation in sectors hardest hit by the economic downturn (tourism, retail, hospitality)...
Preventable illnesses are on the rise for NZ children, report finds
Stuff - Virginia Fallon - December 1, 2020An increasing number of New Zealand children are being hospitalised for preventable illnesses, a new report has found. The State of Child Health Report, released by Cure Kids research charity, has highlighted three health issues in which children are failing, or being failed...
Burned Out And Broke : Early Childhood Education Needs Recognition And Funding
Scoop - Lynley Tulloch - November 30, 2020I was somewhat alarmed at the recent report by ChildForum that many New Zealand publicly funded Early Childhood Centres are performing on a somewhat below par basis. I am a fully qualified early childhood education teacher but am not currently teaching in a centre...
After more than 2000 toddlers 'Mrs Kindy’ retires
Otago Daily Times - Philip Chandler - November 30, 2020‘End of an era’ can be used a bit loosely, but when applied to the impending retirement of Wakatipu Kindergarten’s Sally Hogg, it’s entirely apt. Immensely popular with pupils, parents and fellow teachers, she’s stepping down after 31 years as the kindergarten’s inaugural head teacher...
Teacher censured for grabbing running student by the hand
Stuff NZ - Mariné Lourens - November 27, 2020A Canterbury teacher has been censured by the teachers’ disciplinary tribunal after she grabbed the hand of a 6-year-old student, causing him to fall. The teacher appeared before the tribunal this week and accepted an allegation of serious misconduct by using “unjustified...
Evolve Education turns to a profit from a loss, eyes more acquisitions
Stuff NZ - Tina Morrison - November 27, 2020Evolve Education, which operates the Lollipops, Active Explorers and Little Wonders childcare centres, turned to a profit in the first half, from a loss in the year earlier period, as government funding helped it through disruptions caused by Covid-19. After-tax profit was $6.2 million...
