Early Learning Bulletin

Feature Article | From South Auckland to San Francisco with QIM

The Early Learning Taskforce and Ko Awatea presented at the second Annual Carnegie Foundation Summit on Improvement in Education in San Francisco in late February.
Early Learning Taskforce members with other delegates at the Carnegie Foundation Summit

The presentation focused on the results of a joint project to increase participation in early learning and improve health outcomes in South Auckland using a Quality Improvement Methodology (QIM).

QIM follows a discipline of inquiry of practice using the Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycle. While QIM is regularly used in both international and national health settings, our project with Ko Awatea marked the first time in New Zealand QIM has been used in an education context with education professionals.

The Early Learning Taskforce made great connections with the delegation from Chile:
L to R: Monique Davies (Ko Awatea Middlemore Hospital), Jilly Tyler (Early Learning Taskforce, Ministry of Education), Francis Duran Mellado and Susana Toledo (Fundacion Educacional Oportunidad – Chile)

In the project, early childhood education (ECE) centre managers hypothesised about a potentially productive change, predicted the outcome, and gathered evidence to determine whether the change was an improvement. The results were analysed, and each change was then adopted, discarded, or revised and tested again.

Some ECE centres in South Auckland found they were facing a number of challenges in maintaining attendance rates (including financial hardship and poor health – from skin infections to head lice), which result in poor educational and social outcomes.

At the summit we heard about others who are doing similar work. For example, an organisation in Chile is also working with ECE services to improve attendance, health outcomes and oral literacy capability using a QIM model. Their 4 year project has had positive results for the children and families engaged in the centres.

The Summit highlighted that the QIM approach is being used in educational institutions in the US to improve learning outcomes and support teachers across the education pipeline. In Michigan, for example, it has been used to improve literacy and in Baltimore it has been used to retain first-year teachers.

It also demonstrated that when education administrators, managers and teachers are systematic about making improvements to their organisation and teaching practice, they are more likely to get positive results for the families and their children.

Critical Need to Know and Action

Update on Vulnerable Children Act requirements There are new requirements under the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 for all early childhood education (ECE) services and kōhanga reo. This Act requires all paid children’s workers to be safety checked in a consistent way. The safety checking changes are being phased in. The first phase starts on 1 July 2015. We want to update you on these requirements, and the information that will soon be made available to help you meet them. Find out more about these new requirements.
Health and Safety reforms update Last month we updated you on the progress of the proposed new health and safety legislation. The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) released drafts of the various phase one regulations. You can now provide feedback on the draft Health and Safety at Work (Infringement Offences and Fees) Regulations. We have published 2 more factsheets aimed at helping you review and update your health and safety system and practices in preparation for the new law. Stay informed by reading the draft regulations and the factsheets.
Change to first aid qualification criterion for home-based ECE This week changes to licensing criteria for early childhood education (ECE) services will be notified in the New Zealand Gazette. Among the changes is an expanded documentation requirement for home-based ECE services criterion HS22. Find out more about the revised criterion and documentation requirements.
Licensing and certification criteria changes notified this week Last month we let you know the Minister of Education approved the changes recommended by the 2013/14 review of early childhood education (ECE) licensing and certification criteria. The changes affect education and care centres, home-based services, hospital-based services and playgroups. There are no changes to kōhanga reo licensing criteria at this time. The changes will be notified on Thursday this week (21 May 2015) in the New Zealand Gazette. All services are expected to meet the new standards from 22 May 2015. Find out more about the criteria changes.
2014 financial reporting requirements and declaration form now available As a condition of receiving government funding, early childhood education (ECE) services are required to send the Ministry a copy of their 2014 audited financial statements by 30 June 2015. Read more about the financial reporting requirements.

General Information Updates

Guidance for services on separated parents Early childhood education (ECE) services often seek advice from the Ministry about how best to work with children’s parents who do not live together. This can be a complicated issue. There is guidance available for you to consider when developing or reviewing your policies and procedures on communicating with parents, enrolment policies and assessments. Further guidance and information can be found here.	Smoke detectors in home-based ECE services The New Zealand Fire Service recommends that all New Zealand homes install and maintain smoke detectors. We strongly endorse the Fire Service’s recommendation that all home-based ECE services should have working smoke detectors. Find out more about smoke detectors in home-based ECE services.
Reminder to playgroups about certification requirements All certificated playgroups must be fully re-certificated every 3 years. In between certification, playgroups must continue to meet all the requirements of the Playgroup Certification Criteria. Read more about how you can ensure you meet these requirements.	ECE educators encouraged to get involved in B4 School Checks The B4 School Check (B4SC) is available free to all children after their fourth birthday. ECE educators are encouraged to get involved in B4 School Checks to enable a holistic view of a child’s health and development. Find out more about the B4 School Check.
Updating ECE service contact details The Ministry of Education’s Data Collection Unit will soon be contacting early childhood education (ECE) services to check and update their contact details. ECE services and service providers will be sent the contact details the Ministry currently holds for each service. These details need to be checked carefully, and any corrections should be sent back to the Data Collection Unit at ECE.statistics@education.govt.nz It is important we have up-to-date contact details for every ECE service so we can communicate important information to you, including funding information. Please send any future updates to your contact details to your regional office.	Free insulation for low-income families A warm, dry home with well-installed insulation is healthier and easier to heat and makes a significant difference to the comfort and well-being of families. Many New Zealand homes are cold and unhealthy, contributing to respiratory disease and absenteeism from early childhood education, school and work. Outbreaks of rheumatic fever have also been linked to families sleeping together in one room to keep warm. Make a difference to your community by sharing information about the Government’s programme Warm Up New Zealand: Healthy Homes that offers free insulation to low-income families.
ECE operational funding update Important information for ECE services about the July funding period is now available on our website. Stay informed by reading about upcoming key dates.	Smokefree signs required at ECE centres The Smoke-free Environments Act requires that a notice be prominently displayed at every entrance to ECE centres and kōhanga reo stating that smoking within the premises is forbidden. Find out more about the requirements and how to order a sign.
Joint initiative with NZEI The Ministry and the NZEI Te Riu Roa are continuing their joint work on collaboration, transitions, career pathways and resourcing work streams. Read more about the joint initiative.