ECE Update
Early Childhood Education Update 2009
Welcome to this issue of the early childhood education Update.
INFLUENZA A (H1N1) SWINE FLU UPDATE
The Ministry of Health continues to monitor the spread of Influenza A (H1N1) Swine Flu in New Zealand and general updates are posted on the Ministry of Health website www.moh.govt.nz
If you are concerned about Influenza A (H1N1) Swine Flu and would like further information contact your GP in the first instance, or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.
In the event of a pandemic, and to help early childhood education services prepare, a Pandemic Planning Kit can be found on the Ministry of Education’s website www.lead.ece.govt.nz.
The Pandemic Planning Kit has been developed by the Ministry to help early childhood services, schools, tertiary organisations and other organisations working within the education sector with developing and implementing their own Pandemic Plan.
If you need any assistance developing your Pandemic Plan contact your local Ministry of Education office.
food and nutrition environment survey
The Ministries of Education and Health will be conducting a Food and Nutrition Environment Survey during August 2009.
The Food and Nutrition Survey is the final phase of a larger study developed to inform and support programmes focussed on nutrition in both early childhood education services and school settings as well as the Health Eating – Healthy Action strategy.
Survey responses are completely confidential and the results of the survey will provide valuable information about the food and nutrition policies and procedures in early childhood education services and will be used to help develop food and nutrition polices and resources.
Early childhood education services will be randomly selected to participate in the 2009 survey so keep an eye out for the survey in your letterbox.
For more information on the Healthy Eating – Healthy Action strategy go to www.heha.org.nz.
AIR QUALITY
In April 2009 the Auckland Regional Public Health Service released a position statement on air pollution and early childhood education services.
The Ministry of Education is working with the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for the Environment to determine an appropriate national response to concerns about air pollution and early childhood education services.
In the interim, the Ministry will continue to consider health reports on a case-by-case basis when licensing new services.
If you have any concerns about air quality and your early childhood education service contact your local Ministry of Education office.
In February 2009 the Minister of Education changed the name of 20 Hours Early Childhood Education (20 Hours ECE) to better reflect the intent of the programme.
The 20 Hours ECE programme still means no compulsory fees for three and four year old children in teacher-led early childhood education services, including some kōhanga reo, for up to six hours attendance each day and up to 20 hours attendance each week.
The Minister also removed the need for parents to complete a separate attestation form in order to enrol their child in the programme.
Since February 2009 parents of children claiming 20 Hours ECE are no longer required to complete a separate attestation form. Services will be required to include on their enrolment form an attestation section which includes some of the features of current attestation form.
This change means that services only have to get parents to attest to 20 Hours ECE hours once, when they first start to claim 20 Hours ECE. When a child’s enrolment changes any change to 20 Hours ECE hours will also be recorded on the enrolment form. This means changes will now only have to be recorded once, on the enrolment form.
Every other aspect of the 20 Hours ECE programme remains the same.
More information, including the 20 Hours ECE hours attestation information that should be included on your enrolment form, can be found at www.lead.ece.govt.nz
RS7 FORMS and20 Hours ece
Recently there have been some small wording changes to the RS7 form that early childhood education services must complete.
What are these small wording changes?
• 20 Hours ECE replaces ‘20 Hours Free’
• 20 Hours Subsidy replaces ‘Free Subsidy’
Early childhood education services are still only allowed a maximum of 30 hours between both 20 Hours ECE and the
20 Hours Subsidy.
These small changes reflect the decision of the Minister of Education to change the name of 20 Hours ECE to better reflect the intent of the programme.
There are no other changes to the programme, 20 Hours ECE still means no compulsory fees for three and four-year-old children in teacher-led early childhood education services, including some kōhanga reo, for 20 hours attendance each week.
2008 REGULATIONS REVIEW UPDATE
On 26 November 2008 the Minister of Education announced a review of the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, which came into effect on 1 December 2008.
The purpose of the review was to ensure that the 2008 regulations and criteria did not place unnecessary burdens on early childhood education services or compromise the health, safety and quality of early childhood education provided to young children.
The 2008 regulations review consultation period has now closed; the Ministry of Education received more than 390 responses from the early childhood education sector over the consultation period. Parents of young children enrolled in early childhood education services also provided their feedback on the 2008 regulations through regional focus groups.
A Working Group was established to consider the feedback received during the consultation period and to develop recommendations on changes to early childhood education regulations for the Minister of Education. The Working Group also considered the feedback received in the 2007 round of consultation and the views gathered from the parent focus groups.
The Working Group submitted their report to the Minister of Education in late April; the Minister is currently considering their recommendations.
It is intended that any new early childhood education regulations will be in place by July 2009.
Over recent months there have been a number of enquiries from early childhood education services about First Aid qualifications.
In order to meet the First Aid requirements under either the 1998 regulations or the 2008 regulations the Ministry of Education recognises an adult present who:
a) holds a First Aid qualification obtained from a course that:
(i) is delivered by a New Zealand Qualifications Authority accredited First Aid provider; and
(ii) meets the minimum requirements of Unit Standard 6400 (or the successor to that Unit Standard); and
(iii) is evidenced by a certificate issued by the trainer that is valid for a period of up to two (2) years following
qualification; and
(iv) requires an eight (8) hour refresher course every two (2) years to maintain the certificate as current
b) has a current practising certificate issued by the New Zealand Medical Council or the Nursing Council of New Zealand
c) is a qualified ambulance officer or paramedic.
In addition, for services operating under the 1998 regulations, all previous Gazette Notices relating to regulation 25(3) remain in force.
Anyone holding a current First Aid Certificate meeting these requirements, or a previously recognised qualification, can therefore be included in the count towards meeting 1998 regulation 25(3).
All early childhood education services are responsible for ensuring that the First Aid qualifications held by staff meet the Ministry of Education’s requirements.
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority maintains the list of currently accredited First Aid course providers who meet Unit Standard 6400.
A provider accredited to ‘Core Health (to level 3 and above)’ includes recognition that the provider is able to deliver the requirements of Unit Standard 6400.
New books for the my feelings series
The Ministry of Education developed the My Feelings series in 1995 to support adults in early childhood education services to help children recognise everyday feelings and emotions and learn positive ways of expressing and dealing with them.
The two newest books in the series are Almost Five by Sharon Holt and Mum’s Grumpy Clothes by Heather McMillan.
Two copies of each book will be sent directly to licensed early childhood education services during May. Services, including kōhanga reo and junior school classes, are entitled to a total of three free copies of each book.
To order more copies of Almost Five and Mum’s Grumpy Clothes call 0800 660 662.
Recently the Minister of Education confirmed her intention to improve the adult:child ratio for children under the age of two.
As a result, the changes to ratios planned by the previous government will not come into effect in July 2009.
All current requirements for adult:child ratios will remain in place.
Breastfeeding in the workplace
From 1 April 2009 employers are required to provide appropriate facilities and breaks for employees who wish to breastfeed or express, taking into account both their operating environment and the available resources. These breaks are unpaid, unless the employee and the employer agree otherwise. The breastfeeding breaks are in addition to standard paid rest breaks and unpaid meal breaks.
NEXT ISSUE OF UPDATE
The next early childhood education Update will appear in Volume 88 Issue 11, which is available from Monday 29 June 2009.
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NATIONAL CONFERENCES
ORDERING RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS
The way you order early childhood education resources and publications has changed.
Wickliffe now provides customer services for the Ministry of Education publications. If you need to order anything phone 0800 660 662, fax 0800 660 663 or email orders@thechair.minedu.govt.nz.
USEFUL LINKS