Some ECE rule changes ‘dangerous'

Otago Daily Times

5 days ago

Early Childhood Education Parents' Council spokeswoman Michelle De Bono is worried about some regulatory changes coming for ECE centres. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY
Unreported broken bones, a child being thrown in the bin and staff openly contemplating suicide are among the complaints being highlighted by a Dunedin early childhood education campaigner.
ECE Parents' Council spokeswoman Michelle De Bono said the complaints were made by parents using a form on the organisation's website.
The complaints showed the situation was already concerning enough, but she was worried changes the government was introducing to the sector could make it even worse.
The changes — which have come from the Ministry of Regulation — that will be implemented over the coming months would no longer require Early Childhood Education (ECE) services to prominently display information about how to make a complaint to the ministry.
ECE centres would also not have to display a copy of the regulations, the current licence certification, and the names and qualifications of staff.
"They're literally gutting the licensing criteria."
She said while many in Dunedin and nationwide were spoilt for choice when it came to "quality" ECE centres, many others were not so lucky.
This was made clear in the 80 complaints her organisation had received and passed on to the Ministry of Education.
Mrs De Bono said one parent made a complaint to the ECE centre their child attended when a head teacher put her child in a rubbish bin for swearing.
The parent said the centre then shared her identity to the head teacher, leaving them feeling "vulnerable and distressed".
A father also reported his son's arm being broken twice within the span of eight weeks while attending their ECE centre.
The child's parents requested the CCTV footage, but were told they would not be able to see anything in the video anyway.
The father said he felt "that they have neglected my son in taking care of him".
A teacher at an ECE centre reported other staff working at their centre had talked about killing themselves on the floor.
They said the staff member said "f ... this" and talked about drugs and rape in front of the children.
Vapes would fall out of a colleague's pocket while she was working and the woman made obscene gestures at children and told them to shut up, the teacher said.
Mrs De Bono said removal of signage meant parents would not be able to easily find out how to go about filing a complaint, and sometimes it would not be appropriate to ask the ECE centre directly for that information.
"Those who are fortunate enough to be sending their babies and children to quality centres should be also advocating against these changes because it could all just change with this current government."
She said there were "a whole heap of Kiwi parents out there" who were not satisfied and happy, and many others who were afraid to come forward.
She said parents should know that sleep checks were going to be changed to every 15 minutes, and there would be no requirement for an adult to be present in the sleep room at all times.
"The report has been accepted by Cabinet, and this is happening, and this involves your children and babies."
"It's pretty significant, and dangerous — and it seems to be flying under the radar."
Mrs De Bono said she encouraged caregivers who were unhappy with the standard of care or education at their children's ECE centre to complain using MyECE's online form.
"Complaining about poor-quality practice can help raise the bar for ECE services for all whānau and tamariki," she said.
The Ministry of Regulation did not respond to a request for comment.
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