Kids ‘at risk’ in early education centres

Parents are sold the idea their children are safe and happy in early childhood education centres, but that is not always the case, some teachers say.

The Ministry of Education downgraded more than 300 services from full to provisional licences in 2017 and 2018 after identifying problems, data released under the Official Information Act shows.

But those in the sector say this is just the tip of the iceberg, and issues often exist long before the ministry gets involved.

Early childhood centres provide education or care for children under 6 years old.

Early childhood teacher Helen Van Der Merwe worked in three Auckland centres over four years.

It was the same story in all of them, she said. ‘‘No regard for children, teachers, or the families. All it is, is about bums on seats.’’

Often, owners relied on relievers and scraped by on minimum staffing.

Centres might look fine on paper but in reality ‘‘there’s not enough hands’’, she said.

There would be a room with 25 babies, which should have five teachers, she said. However, one would be called to another room, another would be putting two infants down for a nap, and one would be changing a nappy.

‘‘Suddenly, you’ve got two teachers trying to care for 22 babies.’’

Situations like that were common, she said, and it wasn’t safe – physically or emotionally – for children. Accidents were common and babies would be left to cry for prolonged periods.

‘‘All it is, is about bums on seats.’’ Helen Van Der Merwe, Early childhood teacher

Overworked teachers passed their stress on to children, Van Der Merwe said, and there was no time for infants to form attachments or build emotional trust, especially because staff turnover was so high.

Dr Sarah Alexander from ChildForum said problems like these could go undetected for ‘‘years’’. She called for the ministry to carry out annual checks ‘‘instead of leaving children’s safety to chance’’.

Under the current system, centres are reviewed every three years. Alexander said it was up to chance whether the ministry picked up on failing services, and whether it downgraded a centre’s licence or supported it to get up to standard.

Kelly Adams (name changed to protect identity) worked in a centre where the licence was downgraded to provisional and it was subject to a Ministry of Education investigation.

You could see the problems in the centre play out in the children’s behaviour, she said.

Children would be clingy and cry a lot, or hit out and bite.

Children often had developmental delays and would wet themselves or be in nappies beyond when they should have been toilet trained.

When a licence is downgraded, the centre is required to display the licence. Adams said this wasn’t done adequately in her centre – and even if it had been, most families used the bus service and rarely came inside.

‘‘All they know is, their kids get picked up in the morning, go to childcare, their children come home, they’re none the wiser.’’

Van De Merwe agreed. ‘‘Parents are sold the idea that children are safe and cared for and playing all day. Parents believe that because they trust teachers.’’

But Early Childhood Council chief executive Peter Reynolds expressed confidence in the current regulations and complaints process. Parents ‘‘vote with their feet’’, he said, and would not stay at a centre that put their child’s safety at risk.

The Ministry of Education’s enablement and support sector deputy secretary, Katrina Casey, said children’s safety and wellbeing was its first priority, and an effective complaints and incidents process was part of that.

The Early Learning 10-Year Strategic Plan is currently open for public consultation.