Ministers Move Won’t Lead To Lower Standards

A leading home based ECE provider has challenged a suggestion from Kindergartens Aotearoa that the Home Based ECE sector can operate with lower safety standards after the recent announcement by Minister Seymour.

Raewyn Overton-Stuart, President of the NZ Homebased Childcare Association said today that it was nonsensical to suggest that this announcement would mean Educators would not engage in, nor complete their formal training.

Ms Overton-Stuart was responding to comments from Amanda Clouston of Kindergartens Aotearoa yesterday.

"Ms Clouston's comments are an anathema to professionals in Home Based ECE. The changes made are to ensure that 100% of Educators are either fully qualified or enrolled to become qualified, surely this is a good thing?"

"Home Based services have dedicated significant time and resource to the training and education of Home Based Educators since the regulations were strengthened in 2022 requiring mandatory training. We were at the table four years ago advocating for a fully qualified workforce, and this recent change will help us all to achieve this.”

Heather Taylor, Chief Operating Officer – Barnardos Aotearoa, said that the Home Based ECE sector enrolments have been disproportionately decreasing over the past few years in comparison to centres.

“We cannot simply sit here and let Home Based provision end when parents want this choice; we have to continually adapt our sector, be brave and make the change that is required so that we can deliver more qualified Educators to our families. With current rules in place we simply cannot bring on enough in-training Educators to fill the demand from parents, you cannot get a qualified workforce whilst the pipeline is so restricted.”

"Depending on the training provider it can take between 20-40 weeks for an Educator to complete their qualification. " she said.

"Without this regulation change it would have meant that service with 10 Educators, eight qualified and two in-training, would have to wait until those in training had completed before being able to enrol another Educator, this is just too tight.”

All Home Based services have Visiting Teachers – Fully certificated and registered teachers who support their educators as they provide the education and care from day one. This sector has also proven to be the most agile with Educators providing care during lockdown, plus it offers the most flexible option for parents who work shifts.

Ms Overton-Stuart reiterated that her members were highly professional ECE providers, and their professionalism and sense of values would not allow them to compromise the safety of children in their care. We often receive comments such as one with a family whose second child is now in care with an Educator who said ‘Appreciate everything. He has come a long way indeed. You have gone above and beyond the goals and expectations; and I cannot recommend you guys enough to other parents. Thank you for being a vital part of [his] growth. I have no doubt [our next child’s] experience … will be just as fun and full of learning.’

“Home Based services saw Minister Seymour's announcement last week as a light at the end of the tunnel after a number of tough years."

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