Child Care News
Covid 19 coronavirus: Teachers angry that they are being asked to become 'babysitters'
NZ Herald - Simon Collins - April 17, 2020Teachers are reacting angrily to new rules for level 3 of the coronavirus alert system which they say will place them at risk and will make them just "babysitters". Bruce Cunningham, principal of Belmont Primary School on Auckland's North Shore, said he "fielded over a dozen emails...
Coronavirus: Schooling up to Year 10 would resume for some under Covid-19 alert level 3
Stuff - Jo Lines-MacKenzie - April 16, 2020Under alert level three, school would resume for some. Early childhood centres and schools would be available up to Year 10 only but attendance would be voluntary, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced during the 1pm daily coronavirus briefing on Thursday. Yet for those who are able...
Covid 19 coronavirus: What will life be like out of lockdown at level 3?
NZ Herald - April 15, 2020The education sector - In theory, the alert level table indicates all educational institutions should reopen at level 3 except for those who have current cases. On that basis the Ministry of Education has advised schools that, if the Cabinet decides to end level 4 lockdown at midnight...
Childcare centres expected to be 'flexible' about fees during lockdown, Education Minister says
Stuff - Georgia Forrester - April 14, 2020Some Kiwi parents say they're disappointed to be stung with childcare fees while their children are at home during the lockdown. Most private and public childcare centres have waived or reduced fees during the lockdown, but some are still charging the full amount...
Covid 19 coronavirus: Expert warns of new outbreak if daycares opened too soon
NZ Herald - April 13,2020A public health expert says childcare centres pose our greatest risk of another outbreak of coronavirus if they reopen after the lockdown without restrictions. Dr Mike Bedford, a former early childhood education team leader for Wellington Regional Public Health, says "social distancing" is impossible...
Dr Mike Bedford: Restrict childcare to essential workers' children first
NZ Herald - April 13, 2020If early childhood centres open under current regulations they could pose the greatest risk of a point-source Covid-19 outbreak in New Zealand – greater than the 20-30 year age group, schools, rest homes or in-store retail. The in-centre risk is especially high for teachers...
Covid 19 coronavirus: Schools may reopen for some students before others
NZ Herald - April 12, 2020Schools have been told to prepare to reopen for "some but not all" of their students on April 29 - but principals are still uncertain what reopening will look like. The Ministry of Education has sent a bulletin to schools saying that "a hybrid model of both distance learning and on-site...
Otago University medical students become nannies for children of senior colleagues amid Covid-19 lockdown
TVNZ - April 12, 2020Dozens of medical students in Canterbury might not be on the frontline, but they’re doing their bit to help doctors who are. With schools and daycare centres closed, students from the University of Otago have become nannies for the children of their senior colleagues...
Coronavirus: Care centre linked to one of two large Auckland Covid-19 clusters
Stuff - Laine Moger - April 11, 2020A care centre and a private function have been linked to two "larger" Auckland clusters of Covid-19, which had previously not been identified. Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay made the announcement at a press conference on Saturday. She also announced there had been ...
Covid-19 coronavirus: Whanganui woman running online childcare sessions
NZ Hearald - Logan Tutty - April 9, 2020With Covid-19 confining people to their homes we're looking at how Whanganui people are adapting everyday activities for the lockdown. Logan Tutty spoke with Raewyn Overton-Stuart from PAUA Early Childhood Home Based Care Service who...
Covid-19: Ministry of Education reveals support plans for distance learning
RNZ - April 9, 2020Schools around the country will be given help to make sure students can still learn at home under lockdown, when term two officially starts on 15 April. Education Minister Chris Hipkins warned parents not to assume schools and early childhood centres will automatically reopen once...
Covid 19 coronavirus: Suzy Cato to front new educational TV channel
NZ Herald - Simon Collins - April 8, 2020The famous TV face and voice that greeted hundreds of thousands of New Zealand schoolchildren in the 1990s and early 2000s is back - this time to help educate locked-down Kiwi kids. Suzy Cato - whose trademark 'Hello, g'day, kei te pēhea koe?' will be well-known to a generation...
Covid 19 coronavirus: No risk to children at Napier daycare from worker who tested positive
NZ Herald - April 7, 2020A Hawke's Bay daycare centre worker who tested positive for Covid-19 will not have passed the virus on to children, the DHB says. A team member at Active Explorers Greenmeadows in Napier has tested positive for coronavirus after coming in close contact with an infected family member...
Covid 19 coronavirus: Auckland daycares keeping kids entertained in lockdown
NZ Herald - April 6, 2020Live storytelling sessions, action songs, arts, crafts, and recipes, kids stuck in lockdown can do all these and more from home as daycares take to sharing activities online. Jojo's, an independently-run early childhood centre in Kumeu, is on board with the trend, posting daily activities ...
Covid 19 coronavirus: Urgent call for educators to help children of Tauranga essential workers
NZ Herald - March 30, 2020An urgent call is being put out for Tauranga educators to help care for the children of essential workers during the lockdown period. Edubase, which runs Homegrown Kids and Kids at Home, is one of three nationwide providers contracted to arrange care for children whose parents...
