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Welcome to the Office of Early Childhood Education
National and public adviser on ECE, the OECE is a sector body representing teachers and all types of licensed services driving safer, higher‑quality education for every child
View our positions
- Provides membership support to ECE services, teachers, researchers, and community partners
- Actively contributes to sector analysis, research, and policy development
- Advances evidence-based best practices that prioritise children’s interests and wellbeing
View the Code of Conduct for ECE Services
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Membership Services and Support for:
Teacher Member Posts
Telling Parents Only What We Think They Want to Hear About Their Child
Lying to Parents About their Child in Early Childhood Education and Childcare.
As early childhood teachers, how often and why are we lying to parents about their child?
We are constantly making judgements on what information to give parents about their children and what information to withhold. But in whose best interests are we acting
Early Childhood Teaching Theories – “Putting the Cog into Cognitive”
Early Childhood Teaching Theories.
During teacher education programmes, lecturers introduce students to the joys of studying a range of theorists. But many teachers appear to put theoretical perspectives of practice behind them immediately the essay-writing is over.
The purpose of this article is to breathe life into the work of t
Sports and Large Muscle Physical Activities
Sports in the Early Childhood Curriculum.
Have you ever heard a sports coach or commentator describe something good a player did saying, “that is natural talent, you can’t teach that”. This article argues that through the artistry of teaching there is a way it can be taught… the early childhood educator’s way!
Sports are a huge p
Asthma
Asthma is quite common among children but many of them will grow out of it as they get older. Around one in four New Zealand children show signs of asthma at some time.
This article tells you about the known causes of asthma, treatments, when a child may or may not have asthma, and practical ways of improving the home and early childhood centre
Service Provider Member Posts
Union Rights and ECE Service Provider Duties
Union rights.
Whether your early childhood service is party to a collective agreement or not – you need to know the ins and outs of the law on rights and duties in dealing with unions.
There are also obligations you must meet in respect of new staff appointments. Keep reading below to find out more.
You may also be interested in reading&
Employment References
Have you been asked by a colleague, student, or employee for an employment reference?
Here we explain your obligations, what to write, and ways to provide a job reference.
If you are asked by an employer to provide a reference for a person who has not asked you to be a referee, do not provide a reference without first checking and obtaining
SUDI – Death of an Infant when Sleeping
Sleep in ECE and Reducing the Risk of (SUDI): Learnings and What’s Legally Required versus Best Practice.
For years, the OECE’s chief advisor Dr Sarah Alexander has feared that a child would die from sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) in an early childhood education (ECE) setting. Now that has happened: An infant died from SUDI while
CCTV and Security Camera Policy
The Office of ECE provides this CCTV policy template and guidance to help services using indoor or outdoor security cameras meet their legal obligations under the Privacy Act, the Children’s Act, and other key legislation.
With camera use under increasing scrutiny, every service that operates CCTV in areas where children or staff may be present needs clear, transparent procedures to ensure lawful, ethical, and defensible practice. Gaps in your policy can put your service and the trust of families, at risk.
Log in with your member details to access the full guidance and template. If your service’s membership has lapsed or you’d like to join, get in touch and we’ll help you get set up quickly.
Home‑based providers may also use this template to develop a policy for educators who have security cameras operating in their family homes.
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Inclusion and equity for teachers with disabilities
The positive and negative experiences of early childhood teachers / kaiako with disabilities who are working in NZ. How this impacts on their human rights, sense of wellbeing, and work. Login to read the full research paper below. Or you can order a pdf copy of the article, go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Author Instructions for Preparing and Submitting a Manuscript to the NZIRECE Journal
These instructions for preparing and submitting a manuscript to the NZ-International Research in ECE Journal should be read in conjunction with the following journal policies:
Cultural-Historical Borderlands: Common Grounds, Limits and Building Bridges in an Early Childhood Community
This paper discusses how early childhood education may be understood and experienced as a cultural-historical borderland, where mental borders and limits are made by people. Drawing on border theory and cultural-historical theory, different perspectives are considered in the study reported here on understanding the challenges and hopes that a commu
How to do Action-Based Research or an Inquiry, and Writing Your Report
What is Action Research?
Action research is defined in the glossary as:
A hands-on approach to research for change in a setting and/or to one’s own practices, thinking and knowledge. Action research can be a collaborative endeavour or carried out by an individual.
When action research is being undertaken to bring about change in a se
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