Child Care News
Teacher Fee Increase Puts More Stress On ECE Because Of Inadequate Government Funding
Scoop - March 29, 2022Doubling teacher registration fees will place more stress on early childhood education because the Government has not made good on promises to fund fair pay for ECE kaiako. “As a membership organisation of ECE services and kaiako, we’re hearing serious pain and concern...
Unvaccinated teachers could remain barred from some jobs when mandate ends
RNZ - John Gerritsen - March 24, 2022Unvaccinated teachers could remain barred from some jobs when the vaccine mandate for schools and early childhood services ends in 12 days. The Ministry of Education has told schools they can require Covid-19 vaccination for certain roles even after the government...
International Relationship To Enrich Early Learning Research And Teacher Education
Scoop - March 23, 2022An international agreement to collaborate on early learning research and teacher education will create new knowledge, fresh thinking and opportunities for ECE students, lecturers and researchers. “Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood NZ is pleased to announce a Memorandum...
RATs more widely available in schools and ECEs
Sun Live - March 18, 2022Nearly a million more rapid antigen tests are being made available and easier to access in schools and early learning centres, says Education Minister Chris Hipkins. Schools, kura and early learning centres will now be provided with rapid antigen tests to give to symptomatic...
RATs in schools will up student attendance, 'bring down anxiety levels'
RNZ - John Gerritsen - March 16, 2022Schools and early childhood centres hope hundreds of thousands of rapid antigen tests (RATs) will keep attendance up. The government has announced that it will send nearly a million test kits to schools and early learning services for staff, children and families with...
Good For Tamariki Learning And Safety – But RATs Should Have Come Sooner For ECE
Scoop - March 16, 2022The Government’s decision to supply Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) directly to early learning services is welcome but overdue. “Our ECE members have been scrambling for weeks to ensure young tamariki can keep learning while staying safe from infection in the face of rising...
Common Sense On ECE Network Management Welcomed
Scoop - March 9, 2022The Early Childhood Council welcomes the extended deadline before the Early Childhood Education network management pre-licensing controls take effect, announced by Education Minister Hon Chris Hipkins today at Select Committee. “It’s great to see this decisiveness...
'We need help': Rising costs of living, Omicron leaves preschool struggling to support needy families
Stuff - Jody O'Callaghan - March 8, 2022Sarah Williams is struggling so much with the rising costs of living that she relies on her youngest sons’ preschool to help her feed her family. The single mum and her four boys are one of a growing number of families on a food parcel roster at Christchurch’s New Beginnings Preschool...
Celebrating Our Tamariki On Children’s Day / Te Rā O Ngā Tamariki
Scoop - March 6, 2022With many New Zealanders celebrating Children’s Day/ Te Rā o Ngā Tamariki today, Minister for Children Kelvin Davis is asking everyone to continue on with that crucial support for our young people as the fight with Covid continues. Held on the first Sunday of March each year...
Education and health sector staff launch fresh High Court challenge to vaccination mandates
NZ Herald - March 3, 2022A legal challenge questioning the lawfulness of the Government's Covid-19 vaccination mandate for educators and health workers has begun at the High Court in Wellington, as a new group of anti-mandate protesters gathers in the capital to support the challenge...
Te Rito Maioha Graduates And Programmes High Value To ECE Sector, Report Finds.
Scoop - March 3, 2022Te Rito Maioha graduate teachers are highly valued by employers; student achievement is consistently high; programme design and delivery is strong; and the organisation makes a valued contribution to the early childhood education sector. These are key findings of an external evaluation...
Waimate community rallies behind preschooler fighting for her life
Stuff NZ - Rachael Comer - March 2, 2022Martha Mendez is known in her preschool room for having a big smile and sweet personality. Now, the community is rallying to support the Waimate 4-year-old, and her family, as she fights for her life in Auckland’s Starship Hospital. Martha had been away from preschool...
Mum pays $270 a week to retain preschool place as she keeps daughter home due to Omicron
Stuff NZ - Lee Kenny - March 1, 2022Preschools are struggling to manage staff shortages, a lack of relievers and parents keeping their children at home, as the Omicron outbreak finally hits. One Early Childhood Education (ECE) expert says some centres are concerned for their survival as owners and managers cope...
Covid-19: No freedom yet for 'bunker babies'
RNZ - Ruth Hill - March 1, 2022They are known as "bunker babies" - children born during the pandemic who have spent their short lives in and out of lockdown. And while New Zealanders are now entering a new phase of learning to live with the virus, some pre-schoolers are still living semi-reclusive lives...
The Real Issues For Children In ECE Centres During Omicron Outbreak
Scoop - February 27, 2022The Early Childhood Council, representing a group of childcare centre owners has repeated its call for improved access to Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) for surveillance testing of staff to help manage Omicron. Chief Advisor of the Office of Early Childhood Education (OECE)...
