Greater Scrutiny of Early Childhood Centres Needed to Keep Preschoolers Safe

The failure by the Ministry of Education to make regular checks on early childhood education centres, once they are licensed, leaves children and their families in a vulnerable position, Invercargill MP and National’s Early Childhood spokesperson Penny Simmonds says.

“According to the Office of Early Childhood Education, the Ministry of Education has taken licensing action against about 100 early childhood education services this year, including four in Invercargill, because they had not met minimum standards. Eight Invercargill centres had their licences downgraded in 2021.

“But this represents only those services who were reported to the Ministry and raises questions about how many others may be falling through the cracks.

“While most centres do a fantastic job, we must maintain standards and keeping pre-schoolers safe and I’m astonished that the Ministry of Education’s scrutiny of early childhood centres ceases once a license has been issued.

“No checks on things like staffing levels, or safety standards, are currently made unless a complaint from parents or teachers is received, or a serious incident is notified.

“I believe it’s time for these regulations to be tightened . This is something that National is committed to looking into. More scrutiny is the only way that families can be assured that safe standards are being met.

“I also strongly support the Office of Early Childhood Education, who has raised these concerns, as it calls for regular checks to be made.

“High quality early childhood services, which allow families to choose the education and care arrangements that best suit them and their children, is essential.

“Without regular and consistent checks the Ministry of Education is effectively failing to ensure safe standards are being maintained and is therefore putting pre-schoolers at risk.”