MEETING SUBJECT:
Early Childhood Education Advisory Group (ECEAG)
DATE OF MEETING:
29 March 2021
TIME OF MEETING:
9:30am – 3:30pm
VENUE:
Matairangi Boardroom, Level 7, 80 Boulcott Street, Wel ington
ATTENDEES:
Frian Wadia (Acting Chair), Rebecca Chatwin, Sharon Coulton, Alex Gunn
(Zoom), Tracey Hooker, Vicki Hi ni, Arapera Card, Annie Gordon, Pauline
Barnes (Deputy CE – Professional Services), Michael Thorn (Manager
Policy and Implementation), Jayne Franklin (Manager Teacher Capability &
Col aboration), Prisca MacDonald (Teacher Capability & Col aboration
Team Leader), Sally Macesmith (Board Secretary)
APOLOGIES:
Clair Edgeler, Lealofi Kupa, Jihye Shin
1. Karakia / Opening Remarks
The Acting Chair acknowledged Clair Edgeler’s apology for the hui. Arapera Card gave a special karakia
for Clair and her whanau.
2. Minutes from the previous meeting
Recommendation:
That the ECEAG approves the minutes as a true and accurate record of the meeting held on 23
October 2020.
MOVED
SECONDED
CARRIED
3. ECE Regulations Review – Tranche 2
Michael Thorn joined the meeting at 10:00am.
Michael Thorn, Manager Policy and Implementation, provided an overview of the ECE Regulatory
Framework.
The ECEAG broke into smal groups to discuss:
A. Current issues or pain points in the ECE sector
B. Risks/Benefits of all ECE teachers being registered
C. What’s working and what need to change in the qualifications, ratios and service-size
standards
A. Issues causing frustration in the ECE sector included:
• Qualified teacher supply – especial y rural/isolated services
• High turnover of staff – especially ‘unqualified’ staff – lack of flexibility of hours
• Unqualified staff have no voice
• Sense of increasing disparity – kindergarten vs ECE
• Ensuring equality of settings
• Language of ‘unqualified teacher’ vs ‘qualified teacher’
• Failure to meet Tiriti obligations
• Genuinely addressing equity of access to quality ECE
• Free market has failed in ECE
• Small groups are too large
• Status of ECE
B. Risks/Benefits of all ECE teachers being registered included:
The ECEAG discussed the need to clarify what was meant by all ECE teachers being registered (i.e.
did this mean everyone in the centre? Owners, cooks, aides etc?) and who would be covered in the
ratio.
The ECEAG suggested aiming for 80% and then 100%.
Pros: • Gives everyone a voice and give accountability – strengthen the profession and public
confidence in the profession
• Protects and benefits learners – quality of education they receive, access to Standards,
conduct processes etc
• Improves quality of services delivered to children
• All working towards goals in Code & Standards
• Ongoing commitment to professional growth
• Raises the status of ECE
• Would create a sense of solidarity
• Removes ambiguity around qualifications
• Provides protection to teachers
• Recognised as teachers by compulsory sector
• Encourages teachers to work in ECE
Cons:
• Removes incentives to get qualified
• Costs to employers – pay equity
• Would central payment mechanism be needed?
• Impact on Playcentre/Kōhanga Reo unknown – potential unintended consequences
• How do we retain/bring in cultural experts?
• Removes a soft entry to a career – this may have a particular impact on Pacific services
• Cost of Registration
The ECEAG discussed focusing on teacher led ECE services while keeping conversations going with
other organisations (e.g. Te Kōhanga Reo).
C. What’s working and what need to change in the qualifications, ratios and service-size standards
• No qualification requirements for service owners
• Should there be an ‘ethic of care’ not just a ‘duty of care’
• Group sizes are not based on research – where did they come from?
• There should be maximum group sizes; Ratios for 2-year olds currently impact on quality
• Current ratio should be per room, not across the whole setting
• Go back to Before Five (1988) policy standard
• Concern if primary trained teacher is Person in Charge
• Primary qualified teachers ≠ ECE qualified teachers
• Should aim for 100% ECE qualified (not just qualified)
• What can the Council do to ensure primary qualified teachers can provide appropriate ECE
services? The Council could work with the Ministry of Education to develop a ‘refresh’ style
programme for primary qualified teachers moving to ECE.
Action: Send link to current ECE Regulations.
Action: Bring draft submission to next ECEAG hui.
4. Proposed Legislative Changes to Disciplinary Regime
Pauline Barnes joined at 12:30pm.
Pauline Barnes gave a brief overview of the rationale and proposed changes to the legislation
regarding the powers of the Complaints Assessment Committee and Disciplinary Tribunal.
The ECEAG discussed IELTS as stil being seen as a barrier to entry into teaching qualifications.
Action: Ask Manager Registration to contact Arapera regarding the Council’s language policy.
Pauline Barnes left at 1:05pm.
5. Consultation on Draft Rules & Guidelines on Physical Restraint
Michael Thorn provided an update on the Teaching Council’s mahi on the Ministry of Education’s
Physical Restraint Advisory Group (PRAG) and the upcoming consultation on Draft Rules and
Guidelines on the use of physical restraint in schools.
The ECEAG discussed the over-representation of ECE teachers in the physical restraint cases
considered by the Council’s disciplinary bodies and what could be done to help share learnings so
ECE Kaiako know what acceptable physical contact is and when it becomes restraint.
Training was provided in schools around restraint. But there was no training provided in ECE.
There was also a required notification process in schools. Restraining children at drop-off was an
everyday occurrence in ECE. Reporting all those incidents would be impractical and not useful.
Sometimes a human connection (i.e. feeling a heartbeat) was needed to bring down a smal child’s
cortisol levels. That would require physical contact of an upset child.
For these reasons, just including the ECE sector under s.99 of the Act (and supplementary
guidance) along with the compulsory sector would not work.
A range of resources, and professional development, were needed in ECE. It was suggested that
the focus of this training and guidance should start with positive physical contact and interactions
including the difference between physical contact and restraint. Strong practical examples –
enshrined in the Code and commitments – could be developed.
6. Core Business Update
Jayne Franklin and Prisca MacDonald joined at 1:30pm. Michael Thorn left at 1:35pm.
Jayne Franklin and Prisca McDonald presented an update from the Teacher Capability and
Collaboration team on the Teaching Council’s core workstreams: Professional Growth Cycle,
Rauhuia | Leadership Space, Give Nothing to Racism in Education, and the Online Conference
Series.
Professional Growth Cycle
The ECEAG noted the results of the recent consultation on the removal of Performance Appraisal for
Principals, Tumuaki and ECE Professional Leaders. The ECEAG broke into smal groups to respond
to discussion questions.
The ECEAG felt it was critical y important to include expectations on employers to provide time for
professional growth cycles in the ECE Regulations. They confirmed there was no central funding for
developing the Professional Growth Cycle in schools and that the expectation was that leaders
would develop the cycles within their settings. One major difference, however, was the lack of
release time in ECE settings.
Rauhuia
The ECEAG discussed using the Rauhuia resources as a way to start Professional Growth Cycle
conversations.
Unteach Racism
The ECEAG discussed the significance of Unteach Racism outside of the teaching profession.
Online Conference Series
The ECEAG heard that Alex Gunn had recently recorded the first module for the Online Conference
Series.
Action: Send link to Rauhuia online event to ECEAG members.
Action: Send Rauhuia postcards to ECEAG members.
Jayne Franklin and Prisca MacDonald left at 2:35pm.
7. Meeting Review & Close with Karakia
Items for the next meeting agenda included:
• Unpacking Rauhuia in ECE
• Unteach Racism
• ECE Regulations Review - Tranche 2
• Update on consultation on Draft Rules & Guidelines on Physical Restraint
• Helping the Council connect with ECE teachers
The Acting Chair thanked the attendees for their participation in the hui and the Council staff for
their support and presentations.
The ECEAG would look to meet again in July 2021.
There was a question about the Teaching Council’s Māori Medium Advisory Group, which had not
met since 2019. The Governing Council members would speak to the convenor of that group.
The meeting adjourned at 3:00pm.
Signed__________________________________ Dated________16/09/2021________________
Frian Wadia
Acting Chair
Teaching Council Early Childhood Education Advisory Group
Document Outline
