Child Care News
Early childhood educators call for pay parity
Stuff NZ - Louisa Steyl - November 08, 2021The union is calling for the Ministry of Education to make a firm commitment to fund pay parity for early childhood teachers in the 2022 budget. Minister of Education Chris Hipkins committed $170 million to deliver pay parity for early childhood teachers, but once...
Pay parity scheme may make it harder to keep teachers in small towns
Stuff NZ - Sophie Harris - November 07, 2021The Government announced a $170 million funding boost in May for early childhood education (ECE) teachers to help the sector move towards pay parity with kindergarten teachers. ECE teachers earn $6.49 less an hour on average than their kindergarten counterparts...
Early Learning Resilience Being Severely Tested
Scoop - November 06, 2021Early Childhood Education centres are being asked to weather COVID-19, the vaccine mandate and teacher shortages, while uncertainty about Pay Parity funding remains. “Our sector is happy to play its part in re-opening the economy, but we’re under pressure on multiple...
Te Rito Maioha Urges Govt To Fix Early Childhood Funding
Scoop - November 05, 2021Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood NZ fully supports early childhood teachers’ calls for pay parity in a day of action this weekend and says it’s an urgent issue which impacts thousands of New Zealand tamariki and families. “The Government’s actions so far have fallen way short...
Early Childhood Sector Calls For Action On Pay Parity In Day Of Action
Scoop - November 04, 2021Early childhood teachers and their supporters are holding a Day of Action on Saturday 6 November to make it clear to the Education Minister Chris Hipkins that they want immediate action on pay parity to help address a growing staffing crisis. They will be gathering...
Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: No jab, no job policy kicks in on November 15
NZ Herald - Ben Leahy - October 28, 2021Teachers who refuse to get a Covid vaccination will barred from entering childcare centres or school grounds after November 15 and will be committing an offence if they do so anyway, it has been confirmed. The Government had earlier set Monday, November 15...
Busy Bees buys New Zealand’s Provincial for $NZ160 million
Financial Review - Anthony Macdonald, Yolanda Redrup and Kanika Sood - October 21, 2021Early childhood education provider Busy Bees Early Learning Australia has acquired New Zealand-based group Provincial Education from majority shareholder Waterman Private Capital, Ascentro Capital and its founders. Industry sources suggest Busy Bees...
Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Vaccine mandate - quarter of respondents to early childcare survey say they're 'very likely' to leave sector
NZ Herald - Dubby Henry - October 19, 2021More than a quarter of respondents to an early childcare education survey say the Government vaccine mandate will "very likely" cause them to leave the sector. The mandate, announced last Monday, means anyone who is in contact with children in an education...
New Zealand orders health workers, education staff jabbed by January
The Age - Nick Perry - October 11, 2021Wellington, New Zealand: Most of New Zealand’s health care workers and teachers will soon be legally required to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. A new mandate compels doctors, pharmacists, community nurses and many other health care workers to be...
Will vaccines be mandatory for teachers? Decision due on 'divisive issue'
Stuff NZ - Ellen O'Dwyer - October 11, 2021In early childhood education, children are highly vulnerable to getting this strain of Covid-19. They cannot be protected from it, there’s no immunisation made available to younger children. Staff cannot wear face coverings and socially distance, it would be...
ECE teachers essential workers in all but name
Newsroom - Dr Sue Cherrington - October 7, 2021Returning to work amidst the outbreak of the Delta variant, early childhood teachers must be recognised as essential workers - and remunerated as such, writes Dr Sue Cherrington. The Prime Minister’s reopening of early childhood education (ECE) services...
Covid-19 Delta Outbreak: Auckland parents left disappointed after early childhood spots filled up
NZ Herald - Amy Wiggins - October 6, 2021Less than half of the children enrolled in daycare centres around Auckland have been able to go back today, leaving many parents disappointed, according to the Early Childhood Council. Phase One of Auckland's move out of level 3 restrictions was announced...
Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Early childcare reopening - no limit to bubble numbers as long as they fit safely
NZ Herald - Dubby Henry - October 6, 2021The Ministry of Education is spelling out how the phased reopening of Auckland will work for early learning centres. Early learning services will be open to all parents, not just those who must work and cannot find another care option for their child, according to...
Paediatricians say Covid risk to pre-school kids is 'low' as daycares reopen
Stuff NZ - Hannah Martin - October 6, 2021If we want to protect children in early childhood care settings we need to aim to have 100 per cent of the adults around them – including parents and teachers – vaccinated, an expert says. As part of the government's plan to slowly ease lockdown restrictions...
Covid-19: What we're learning about Delta outbreaks and children
Stuff NZ - Georgia Forrester - October 6, 2021Research looking at the transmission of the virus in New South Wales found the vast majority of children who caught the infection during the Australian state’s current outbreak, including at school or at early education centres, experienced mild or no symptoms...
