Child Care News
Napier's abandoned new build to open as early childcare centre in April
NZ Herald - March 10, 2020Napier's empty childcare centre mystery caused quite a scene, but the grand opening is now near for the brand-new building that has sat empty for over a year. The centre is set to be operated...
Auckland teacher denies 'manhandling' 3-year-old girl at daycare
Stuff NZ - Laine Moger - March 5, 2020A teacher has been accused of physically abusing a 3-year-old girl by grabbing her around the scruff of her jumper, an tribunal has heard. The teacher, who has name suppression, denied the abuse allegations before a Teachers' Disciplinary Tribunal hearing in Auckland on Wednesday...
Coronavirus fears throws 'spanner in works' for teacher recruitment
NZ Herald - Simon Collins - March 1, 2020A recruitment agency has called for a halt on hiring overseas teachers because of the risk of bringing in more coronavirus cases. Talk Recruitment managing director Mike Jones has written to Education Minister Chris Hipkins urging a "temporary suspension" of a Ministry of Education...
Calls to take early childhood teachers seriously
NZ City - March 1, 2020The New Zealand Educational Institute says there's a crisis in the sector, with teachers seriously underpaid. President Liam Rutherford says early childhood education is crucial in the first one thousand days of a child's life. He says early childhood teachers, who are registered under...
Home-based early learning unfairly targeted
Scoop NZ - Tiny Nation - February 28, 2020On Monday 24 February, a list noting the names and locations of early childhood services that breached minimum standards in 2019 was published by the Ministry of Education. While it’s disheartening to see an increase in ECE services that have breached minimum standards...
One in nine home-based childcare services broke rules
NZ Herald - Simon Collins - February 26, 2020A Ministry of Education "hit squad" has found that at least one in every nine home-based childcare services broke the rules last year. A list provided under the Official Information Act shows that the licences of at least 52 of the country's 453 home-based childcare services were cancelled...
Extra hour's sleep slashes preschoolers' obesity risk: Growing Up in NZ study
NZ Herald - Emma Russell - February 24, 2020An extra hour's sleep each night can slash a preschooler's risk of obesity, according to Growing Up in New Zealand (GUNZ) research. Researchers of our country's largest longitudinal study of child development have found sleep is crucial to protecting those already "at-risk"...
Obituary: Mandy Coupe remembered for service to early childhood education
Stuff - February 13, 2020Taranaki educator Mandy Coupe has remembered for her dedication to learning, and helping others learn. Coupe, who lost her battle with cancer on Waitangi Day, made a large and extremely positive contribution to early childhood education in her 49 years...
The Conversation: A little dirt can be a fine thing
NZ Herald - Emily Johnston, Philip Weinstein and Chris Skelly - February 10, 2020Over the past few decades, allergies and asthma have become common childhood diseases, especially in developed countries. As many as one in five people experience some kind of allergy, whether it's to food, pollen, dust, housemites, mould or animals. We used to think...
Teacher 'super proud' of Kerikeri kindergarten's carbon neutral status
NZ Herald - Jenny Ling, Northern Advocate - February 6, 2020A little kindy in Kerikeri is making headway in the battle against climate change. Kerikeri Kindergarten recently achieved its goal of becoming carbon neutral after working with Carbon Neutral Kerikeri, a community group set up in 2018 with the aim of making Kerikeri New Zealand's...
School's out ... for 27 schools and 11 early learning services across Southland, Gore and Clutha
NZ City - February 5, 2020The Ministry of Education say more than four thousand children are off for the day because of the weather conditions. It's urging parents to check directly with education providers - or through schools' social media pages in the days to come...
Flooding hits Southland town amid fears worse to come
Stuff - Rachael Kelly - February 5, 2020A state of emergency remained in Southland following heavy rain. It was declared by Cook on Tuesday afternoon following Monday's declaration for Milford Sound. Flooding in the district and in West Otago had forced 17 schools and two early childhood centres to close...
Coronavirus: Schools in turmoil on plight of students affected by border closure
NZ Herald - Belinda Feek - February 3, 2020The country's schools have been put into turmoil after the Government's sudden banning of foreign nationals returning to New Zealand from China. While many schools have kicked off the first term, many students had taken the opportunity to return home to celebrate the Chinese...
Let's cut the length of summer school holidays, they're two weeks too long
Stuff - Jordan Watson - February 2, 2020OPINION: School holidays are two weeks too long. Six weeks. That's 42 days. That's 1008 hours. As a parent of young kids, that's bloody tough. No, I'm not the school holiday Grinch, but I am a realist. A six-week school holiday is two weeks too many. There are only so many times...
Teacher 'smashed eggs on classroom floor in rage'
NZ Herald - Simon Collins - February 1, 2020A teacher smashed eggs on the floor of his classroom in a fit of rage, the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal has been told. The teacher, who has 21 years of experience in early childhood and primary teaching, has been accused of verbal and physical misconduct against children...
