Review of home-based ECE services welcomed

The Early Childhood Council welcomes the review of home-based early childhood education services.

The Ministry of Education has released a range of proposed changes to home-based ECE services for feedback to help inform final decisions. The proposed changes are part of a whole of education sector reform programme.

The Early Childhood Council (ECC) Chief Executive Officer, Peter Reynolds, says the ECC supports the review and proposed changes that would better align regulations across the early childhood education (ECE) sector.

The proposed changes include minimum qualifications for educators, and asking whether au pairs should be excluded from minimum qualifications, but funded at a lower rate.

The suggested changes also cover working conditions, transparency of funding, some changes to the role of visiting teacher, and tightening up the way other children in the home are counted as part of the home-based service.

“The ECE sector is made up of variety and parent choice of provider – which is a good thing. However, the ECC has long called for regulations to be evenly applied across the sector and for more transparency for parents,” Mr Reynolds says.

We support proposals to introduce minimum qualification standards for educators, and to address inconsistencies in regulation, licensing criteria, health and safety practices and the engagement of educators.

That has to be a good thing for quality, for children and for parents.

“There are too many inconsistencies in the regulatory expectations. We support a level playing field across all ECE service types and, in particular, support informing parents of quality and regulatory differences between the ECE service types where these exist so informed enrolment decisions can be made,” Mr Reynolds says.

The Early Childhood Council is a not-for-profit membership body that represents the interests of almost 1,200 community-owned and privately-owned early childhood centres. As well as ensuring the childcare centre voice is heard by education policy decision makers, the ECC provides our members with professional development opportunities, tools and support.

ENDS

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