Child Care News
Covid 19 coronavirus: Childcare subsidies drop 30 per cent as recession bites
NZ Herald - Simon Collins - July 23, 2020Families receiving childcare subsidies have dropped by 30 per cent as more parents find themselves at home with their children. The drop in Work and Income childcare subsidies, from 22,353 at the end of June last year to 15,631 on June 30 this year, provides some of the first...
Early childhood teachers calling for pay equity to hold paid union meetings
1news - July 23, 2020Early childhood teachers, campaigning for pay equity will take historic action tomorrow by holding paid union meetings. The move will see some early childhood centres close for about two hours. It’s an inaugural step for teachers covered by two collective agreements...
Brand new childcare investment in high-growth Northwest Auckland - Colliers
Voxy.co.nz - July 23, 2020A newly built, architecturally designed, high-quality childcare facility is for sale on a high-profile corner site in Northwest Auckland. Located in one of the fastest-growing areas of Auckland, the freehold property on the corner of State Highway 16 and Taupaki Road is superbly...
A series of barn-like forms completes childcare centre by CASA in New Zealand
designboom - Myrto Katsikopoulou - July 21, 2020Settling near the hidden lakes of the Cambridge region, in New Zealand, Collingridge and Smith Architects (CASA) has introduced the ‘house of wonder’ early learning center. The building has been designed as a series of ‘houses’ connected through gardens and ...
Election 2020: NZ First unveils first policy, universal family benefit to return
NZ Herald - Jason Wells - July 19, 2020New Zealand First has announced its first election policy at its annual conference this weekend – the return of the universal family benefit. The NZ First policy will mean all families in New Zealand, with children under 16, are be provided a weekly allowance, no matter their income...
Central Kids Helen Downer Kindergarten moves for new building after 66 years
NZ Herald - Shauni James - July 17, 2020After 66 years in the same building, Central Kids Helen Downer Kindergarten is preparing for a temporary move while a new building is constructed. Rotorua's first free kindergarten was established in 1950 at Malfroy Rd Baptist Church by the late Helen Downer...
Early childhood centres face closures as enrolments dwindle after lockdown
RNZ - Karoline Tuckey and Jack Crossland - July 14, 2020Many early childhood centres are struggling because thousands of children are staying away. About 40,000 children - 20 percent of under-fives - have not returned to early learning after lockdown, the Early Childhood Council says. With fewer enrolments, centres get less income...
ECE adult-to-child ratios not fit for purpose
Newsroom - Laura Walters - July 10, 2020Experts and advocates say adult:child ratios are not fit for purpose and ministry records show they aren’t based on any research, evidence or best-practice, Laura Walters reports. Calls for significant changes to adult to child ratios in early learning centres are increasing, with some saying...
Kidicorp's metamorphosis to Best Start Educare raises tax questions
NZ Herald - Matt Nippert - July 11, 2020Kidicorp's restructuring as the charity Best Start Educare means $20 million in tax-free income is paid each year directly to the childcare giant's private founders. The complex 2015 deal - involving interest-free loans and a related-party charitable foundation - appears...
Dark underbelly of early childhood education
Newsroom - Laura Walters - July 8, 2020Those working with New Zealand’s youngest citizens say the early childhood education sector is in crisis. Inconsistencies in pay, working conditions and quality of care have been an issue in the sector for years, but teachers say things are getting worse. Covid-19 has highlighted ...
Matariki: Howick Kindergarten’s shining stars
Times Online - July 7, 2020Throughout the month of June, Howick Kindergarten has been celebrating Matariki. Head Teacher Leonie Kelly said over the last few weeks the children have been involved in several learning experiences related to welcoming in the Maori New Year. The teachers ...
'Ethnic prejudice' alleged in smacking complaint against Korean daycare teacher
NZ Herald - Simon Collins - July 7, 2020A student teacher has been accused of ethnic prejudice after complaining that a Korean early childhood teacher smacked her own 1-year-old daughter. The student teacher, who was on her first day of practical experience in an Auckland childcare centre, said ...
Rules to reduce choking risk in childcare centres delayed due to Covid-19
1news Phil Pennington, rnz.co.nz - July 6, 2020Officials began looking at whether to make the risk-reduction guidelines mandatory after a Rotorua family went public about their son, who choked in 2016 and is now badly brain damaged. The Education Ministry said it had expected to bring in changes before now, but...
Tauranga early learning centres become inspired
Sunlive - July 6, 2020Two Tauranga early learning centres have joined the Inspired Kindergartens whanau as of this month. Mount Plunket Preschool in Mount Maunganui and OPEYS Education and Care Centre in Otūmoetai have transferred from Plunket to Inspired Kindergartens. The move follows ...
Parents of toddler left brain damaged say agencies' actions 'unbelievable'
RNZ - Phil Pennington - July 6, 2020"Useless", "biased", and "misleading"; that is how the parents of a Rotorua toddler left brain damaged after choking on a slice of apple at a childcare centre, describe WorkSafe's investigation and its handling of their complaints. WorkSafe rebuffs this, saying it did a thorough job...
