One of our key purposes is to make a positive impact on early childhood education (ECE) in New Zealand and ensure every tamaiti receives the best possible beginning to their educational journey. We advocate for the ECE sector, to keep the focus on the education and wellbeing of our youngest tamariki and to ensure that government policy is balanced in favour of high quality accessible and affordable ECE.
Some of the matters we lobby government on include:
- Improved levels of funding to ECE services to meet increased compliance costs
- Equitable pay and conditions for qualified ECE teachers (including access to professional learning and development) on a par with the compulsory schooling sector
- Improved ratios for infants and toddlers and group sizes (supported by appropriate funding levels)
- An ongoing commitment to support ECE teachers to upskill in te reo me tikanga Māori
- Better access to learning support.
- Recognition of ECE as integral part of education system, in particular through participation in Kāhui Ako |Communities of Learning
We do this through:
- Representation on education sector advisory groups
- Close collaboration with ECE sector organisations, seeking opportunities to jointly lobby for change
- Our constructive relationships with ministers and government officials
- Strong articulation in media releases and submissions on policy proposals.
We keep our members informed about upcoming government consultations through our weekly newsletter, Member Update, and on our Current Consultation page.
We value our members' input to inform the development of our position on issues affecting the ECE sector. Please contact us to share your views.
We keep our members informed about upcoming government consultations here.
We frequently make written submissions to government on behalf of members in response to issues affecting tamariki, ECE services and the ECE teaching workforce.
We represent our members and ECE sector interests on a variety of education sector advisory groups and forums.
We make statements in the media on current issues and events affecting the ECE sector and in response to government policy or law changes.