Early Childhood Education in New Zealand

Education Legislation Amendment Act 2016

2016 BCE

Playgrounds Standards review

2015 BCE

Vulnerable Children Act 2014 passed

2014 BCE

Food Act 2014

2014 BCE

New Zealand has one of the lowest ratios of full-time equivalent children to ECE teachers, with on average 7 children per teacher, compared with the OECD average of 14 full-time equivalent children to every teacher.

2012 BCE

Around 87% of 3 year-olds and 94% of 4 year-olds in New Zealand were enrolled in centre-based ECE in 2012.

2012 BCE

New Zealand had the third highest combined public and private expenditure per full-time equivalent child in ECE, around 49% higher than the OECD average.

2011 BCE

Literacy in Early Childhood Services: Good Practice

2011 BCE

Budget: announces removal of 100% funding rate. 20 hours extended to include- 5 yr olds, Kohanga Reo and Playcentre. 80-100% new funding rate will be reduced. Reduction in funding for 80% rate

2010 BCE

Updated Early childhood regulations released

2008 BCE

20 Hours Free introduced by labour Government

2007 BCE

Kei Tua o te Pae Assessment for Learning, Early Childhood Exemplars

2004 BCE

6 centres of Innovation Named

2003 BCE

10 Year Strategic plan

2002 BCE

Quality in Action (DOP's) and Regulations released

1998 BCE

First New Zealand curriculum for early childhood (Te Whāriki)

1996 BCE

First University to establish an Early Childhood Department (Waikato University)

1991 BCE

Impact of budget: Fees go up and wages go down, Cut in kindergarten ratios but increase of roll numbers, Ratio’s for funding for under 2 children was reduced and redirected towards a government led initiative “PAFT’

1991 BCE

E.C.E Curriculum acknowledged a bi-cultural nation was under development

1990 BCE

From 1990 to 1997 there was 1029 New E.C.E Centres opened

Period: 1990 BCE to 1997 BCE

“Before Fives” reform

1989 BCE

Department of Education replaced by Ministry of Education, whose primary role was to focus on policy development and funding

1988 BCE

Government report on E.C.E published “Education to be more”

1988 BCE

Labour Government transfers Early childhood services from department of Social Welfare to Department of Education

1986 BCE

Government introduces grants to support early childhood training

1983 BCE

Forerunner to Kohanga, Reo Hine Potaka developed the idea of Māori Curriculum for Māori Children

1982 BCE

National car seat rental programme introduced

1981 BCE

Government commissioned a report into childcare issues, Which found the need for better regulations and more trained staff (5 years until it was released in 1981)

1976 BCE

Government introduced fee subsidies for parents unable to afford costs of childcare

1974 BCE

Funding cuts caused closure of Karitane Hospitals replaced by day units (Plunket Karitane Family Centre)

1970 BCE

Plunket philosophy changes and Identifies child’s development (0-5)

1970 BCE

All Kindergartens staffed with fully trained teachers

1965 BCE

Cultural awareness is accept in centres and schools

1964 BCE

First married woman accepted into primary and kindergarten training

1961 BCE

First New Zealand Childcare regulations

1960 BCE

NZTKA Negotiates employment conditions

1958 BCE

New Zealand Free Kindergarten Association is formed

1954 BCE

Government tries to get more co-operation between Playcentres and kindergartens

1954 BCE

92 Playcentres

1953 BCE

– Recruitment and training of teachers was moved to teachers colleges

1951 BCE

From 1950 to 1960 Playcentre receive 2,635 pounds and kindergartens 247,000 pounds from the government

Period: 1950 BCE to 1960 BCE

Moira Bell (Nee Callagher) promotes child centred programmes

1949 BCE

New Zealand Playcentre federation is constituted

1948 BCE

40 playcenters across New Zealand

1946 BCE

New Playcentre movement

1940 BCE

World War Two

Period: 1939 BCE to 1945 BCE

34 Free Kindergartens 2 charitable crèches

1936 BCE

Elizabeth McCombs first woman member of parliament

1933 BCE

Elizabeth McCombs helped establish a community crèche run by a city council

1933 BCE

The Dunedin Nursery established

1930 BCE

The Great Depression

Period: 1929 BCE to 1939 BCE

World War One

Period: 1914 BCE to 1918 BCE

Mother craft manual “Feeding & Care of Baby”

1913 BCE

60 Branches formed with plunket nurses and 6 Karitane hospitals opened

1912 BCE

Karitane Home for babies opened in Dunedin

1908 BCE

Infant mortalities dropped to become the lowest in the world

1907 BCE

Plunket movement started in Dunedin

1907 BCE

Professional baby farmer (Mary Ann Guy) convicted of murder

1906 BCE

First Crèche in Wellington

1903 BCE

Mother Aubert established a crèche for children of unmarried mothers

1903 BCE

Mothering was seen as an occupation of value

1900 BCE

World congress for women

1897 BCE

Legislated the protection of children in family and workplaces

1897 BCE

Adoption of children Act

1895 BCE

Infant life protection act

1893 BCE

New Zealand's first foundling home

1890 BCE

Mother Aubert childrens protection Act

1890 BCE

Infants under one accounted for a quarter of deaths in the population

1890 BCE

First Kindergarten opened in Dunedin

1889 BCE

Industrial schools Act allowed for fostering

1882 BCE

Dunedin Creche formed

1879 BCE

Baby farming in New Zealand

1879 BCE

10 institutes established for orphaned and destitute children

1876 BCE

Neglected criminal childrens Act passed in New Zealand

1867 BCE

The Anglican church opened Parnell Orphan Home in Auckland

1866 BCE

Sisters of Mercy founded an orphanage in Auckland

1850 BCE

Kindergartens spread through Germany

1837 BCE

In Australia Protestant and Catholic orphan schools opened

1803 BCE

Dr William Cadgon wrote the first book on child rearing.

1748 BCE

The start of London foundling homes for infants

1741 BCE

In Parish work houses there was a 100% infant mortality rate (Older children survived)

1722 BCE