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 fortnightly newsletter, Member Update, and on our Open 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.
Government frequently consults the public
on proposals to make changes to laws and policies affecting the ECE
sector. Our submissions are made stronger by ensuring the positions we
take are
informed by research and reflect the perspectives and priorities of our
members.
We frequently make written submissions to government on behalf of
members in response to issues affecting tamariki, ECE services and the
ECE teaching workforce. Our submissions are made stronger by ensuring the positions we take
are informed by research and reflect the perspectives and priorities of
our members.Advisory Groups
We represent our members and advocate for wider ECE sector interests at
sector advisory groups, hosted or sponsored by education agencies.