Child Care News
Young kids at higher risk from Omicron outbreak due to poor ventilation at daycares
Stuff NZ - Wei Shao - January 25, 2022Early childhood education centres remained open under the red setting of the Government’s traffic light system, but parents who could supervise their children at home were asked to do so. Children under 5 were among the more vulnerable, as they were not yet eligible...
Nannies against Covid look to increase Māori vaccinations
NZ Herald - January 17, 2022A group of around 20 nannies from Heretaunga marae met in December to launch a public health campaign "Nannies against Covid" at Matahiwi marae to increase Māori vaccinations among their whānau, hapū and iwi. These nannies are not strangers to the limelight...
Epidemiologist calls for delay in school reopening due to Omicron, but paediatricians disagree
Stuff NZ - Ellen O'Dwyer - January 11, 2022University of Otago epidemiologist Amanda Kvalsvig said all schools, including early childhood facilities, should delay reopening after the summer break until “basic protections” were in place. Kvalsvig said more time was needed to vaccinate five- to 11-year-olds, give...
Veteran kindergarten teacher: ‘NZ kids need male role models’
Stuff NZ - Esther Ashby-Coventry - January 5, 2022Women account for 97 per cent of teaching staff at all early learning services, according to the Ministry of Education. In Timaru, Wood works at Kowhai Kindergarten and a trainee male teacher, Josh Fenwick, is at West End Kindergarten – the only two men in the industry...
Paediatric COVID-19 vaccine receives provisional approval
NZ Doctor - December 16, 2021Medsafe has granted provisional approval for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years old. Medsafe Group Manager, Chris James, says the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for this age group is an adapted version of the vaccine used for people aged...
Government refuses to review early childhood education rules
RNZ - John Gerritsen - December 9, 2021The government has refused to fast-track a review of core early childhood education rules despite being told they might not be fit for purpose. A Cabinet paper shows Parliament's Regulations Review Select Committee told the government in September it was...
COVID-19 Spreads Through New Zealand Schools And Childcare Centres
Scoop - December 9, 2021In New Zealand, COVID-19 has spread into well over 130 schools and early childhood education centres (ECEs) since the outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant began in August. The figure was only revealed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on December...
Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Teacher vaccination rates released by Ministry of Education
NZ Herald - Dubby Henry - December 3, 2021From November 15 all staff at schools and early learning centres must have had at least one dose of the vaccine to help protect them, and the children in their care, against Covid. Most teachers were on board with the mandate, but some schools feared they would be...
Barnardos Early Learning And NZEI Reach Pay Parity Agreement
Scoop NZ - November 26, 2021Barnardos Early Learning Services and NZEI Te Riu Roa achieve an historic step towards pay parity for ECE Teachers. Early childhood teachers working for Barnardos will receive significant pay increases as a result of a new collective agreement that introduces pay...
New Book Honours Early Childhood Education Trail Blazers
Scoop NZ - November 26, 2021The stories of those who fought for recognition, training and funding of early childhood education and teaching are recorded in a new book launched by Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand. Life stories on the frontline - Growing a childcare movement in...
Ministry of Education will review ECE funding in 2022
Stuff NZ - Louisa Steyl - November 22, 2021The Ministry said it would begin consulting the sector as part of a review of the funding model for early childhood education in 2022; after ECE teachers throughout New Zealand protested for pay parity on November 6. But teachers union NZEI Te Riu Roa are...
Up to 40 per cent of early learning centres could lose teacher over vax mandate: lobby
NZ Herald - Ben Leahy - November 17, 2021More than 40 per cent of early learning centres could have at least one teacher resign as result of not wanting to be vaccinated against Covid, a lobby group for the sector says. However, a group representing secondary school teachers says that by contrast...
Teachers Leaving Due To The Vaccine Mandate Will Significantly Impact Early Learning
Scoop - November 16, 202141% of surveyed Early Childhood Council members say they’ll lose at least one teacher because of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. “33% of members surveyed say they’ll lose one or two teachers, and 10% say they’ll lose between three and five. This is a huge issue...
Covid-19: Parents desperate as ECE centre closes over vaccine mandate
Stuff NZ - Katy Jones - November 10, 2021Families in Golden Bay are scrabbling to find early learning places for their children, after the closure of an early learning centre due to not having enough Covid-19 vaccinated staff. Kakariki Kids Preschool/Early Learning Centre, between Tākaka and Collingwood...
Covid-19: Auckland kindergartens face 'logistical nightmare' ahead of alert level shift
Stuff NZ - Nathan Morton - November 09, 2021Under the new rules, the Ministry of Education confirmed early childhood centres in the city could increase their class bubbles from 10 to 20 kids, as long as public health measures are followed. The advice from the Ministry is to keep bubbles as small as possible...
