Child Care News
Early Learning Ten Year Strategic Plan
Education.Gov.NZ - November 16, 2018A new strategic plan is being developed for early learning that will set the high level direction and vision for the next ten years. The draft plan has been jointly developed by a Ministerial Advisory Group, a larger Reference Group that includes sector stakeholders, and the Ministry...
Home-based Early Childhood Education Review
Education.Gov.NZ - November 14, 2018A review of home-based early childhood education is underway, to ensure that it delivers quality education and care for children. The review will look at a range of areas which are known to support quality early learning, including investigating the introduction of qualification...
Exclusive: Serious concern over preschool checks as conditions not picked-up
NZ Herald - Nicholas Jones - November 15, 2018One of the country's biggest health initiatives isn't picking up serious problems and could actually widen the rich-poor divide. When every child in the country turns four they are offered a "before school check" (B4SC). The programme helps identify health, behavioural, social or...
No improvement in childhood tooth decay rates
Radio NZ - Sarah Robson - November 8, 2018Children in the poorest regions still have worse teeth than the rest of the country - and there are warnings that more has to be done if real gains are to be made. Nationally, 40 percent of five-year-olds who got dental check-ups last year had some form of tooth decay, according to...
'Gaia-inspired' childcare centre proposed in South Auckland
NZ Herald - Isaac Davison - November 8, 2018A childcare business says New Zealand children are obsessed with instant gratification and have become detached from the natural world. And it is proposing an innovative solution - a "Gaia-inspired" preschool in South Auckland which encourages kids to "go back to basics"...
English language tests for foreign teachers may no longer be compulsory
Stuff NZ - Adele Redmond - November 6, 2018A review of language requirements for foreign teachers is now underway*. It coincides with proposals to loosen immigration requirements to bring hundreds of primary, secondary and pre-school teachers into New Zealand next year. Some in the sector say the changes...
NZ family face hefty $70k fee for autistic 3yo to attend Aus preschool
Radio NZ - Phil Pennington - November 6, 2018A New Zealand family in Brisbane face paying $NZ70,000 a year to send their three-year-old daughter to preschool. Stella, 3, was diagnosed this year with level two autism. Her mother, Jeanette Walker said she thought it was all sorted with the specialist preschool down the road...
Northland early childhood teachers feel 'undervalued'
NZ Herald - Mikaela Collins - November 3, 2018Northland early childhood educators say a teacher and reliever shortage in the region means they sometimes have to call parents to do relief work, or go into work sick. This week education union NZEI said there were reports that 30 per cent of ECE centres had unfilled vacancies...
As NZ's early childhood centres struggle to fill vacancies, expert proposes relaxing teacher-child ratio
TV NZ - November 1, 2018While the Government's focus as of late has been on addressing the struggles of New Zealand's primary and secondary school teachers, our early childhood education centres are also in dire straits due to a teacher shortage, according to a recent survey. The survey found that a third of centres...
Pre-school at risk of closure puts community under pressure
Radio NZ - Conan Young - October 31, 2018The tiny West Coast settlement of Franz Josef is worried about its future if the only preschool in town is closed down. The owner of the Kids First preschool said it was losing money and it would soon have to make a decision on its future. With the next closest preschool a one-and-a-half-hour...
NZ among worst ranked for inequality in education - report
Radio NZ - October 30, 2018Local researcher Jess Berentson-Shaw was commissioned by Unicef in New Zealand to what the report showed. She said the cost of schooling, especially early childhood education, was one barrier that contributed to the system being so unequal. "ECE [early childhood education]...
Early childhood teacher shortage means teachers can get 'whatever they want'
NZ Herald - Simon Collins - October 29, 2018Early childhood centres are facing their worst-ever teacher shortage, creating a market where qualified teachers can get "whatever they want". A survey by the Early Childhood Council has found that 30 per cent of childcare centres have unfilled vacancies for qualified teachers this month...
Christchurch's first new preschool since quakes to open next year
Radio NZ - October 26, 2018The first new purpose-built preschool in central Christchurch since the earthquakes will open in September next year. The preschool will have space for up to 100 children and will be located on the top of a seven floor car park building at The Crossing - one of the central city's biggest...
Four-year-old 'safety risk' kicked out of north Auckland daycare
Stuff NZ - Danielle Clent - October 21, 2018A 4-year-old was expelled from her daycare centre to protect the safety of staff and children. According to the child's mother, the centre claimed her daughter was a "safety risk", had slammed a teacher's foot in the door, thrown furniture, swore, and hurt other children...
New Zealand wants Irish teachers, but what are they offering?
The Irish Times - Peter McGuire - October 19, 2018The global teacher shortage has prompted an innovative response from the New Zealand government: a NZ$5,000 relocation bonus for teachers coming to work there from abroad. Garrett O'Dowd, director of TeachAndExplore.com, says salaries can't quite compete...
