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| The role of Early Childhood Development |
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| Author : ECD Information Services
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Early Childhood Development (ECD): Ng� Kaitaunaki K�hungahunga.
ECD was established under the Education Act in 1989 as a Crown entity. Its role is to promote and encourage the development and provision of quality, accessible and appropriate early childhood services.
ECD provides the following programmes:
1.Parenting Programmes � Supporting Families
Parents As First Teachers (PAFT) - ECD-trained parent educators deliver the Ahuru M�wai and Born to Learn curriculum to parents of children aged 0 to 3, through a programme of regular home visits. This is a structured learning programme that focuses on child development and providing information on how learning occurs in the early years; it is individualised to suit each family�s needs. The mode of delivery is strengths based.
Family Start - ECD trained wh�nau workers deliver the Ahuru M�wai and Born to Learn curriculum and other services to high needs families through regular home visits. ECD is responsible for the training of Family Start wh�nau workers, and contract management for six of the Family Start sites.
Awhina M�tua - a service that works with families isolated from or not participating in parenting programmes and early childhood education services. The M�ori-specific dimension is Wh�nau Development; and the Pacific peoples-specific dimension is Fanau Pasifika.
2.Licence Exempt Groups � Supporting Communities
Playgroups - ECD staff support licence-exempt playgroups to provide children and their families with early childhood education in a community setting, often characterised by rural isolation, high unemployment, and limited access to other services. The playgroup model is responsive to the aspirations of families/communities to deliver culture-specific services, to remain licence-exempt, or to develop and attain licensing and chartered status.
Playgroups include groups for community languages, new migrants, refugees, women's refuges, Pacific Islands Early Childhood Groups (PIECGs � playgroups for communities, based on values and languages), and Ng� Puna K�hungahunga (NPK - playgroups for M�ori parents and families who are not involved in mainstream services or Te Kohanga Reo, based on M�ori values and language).
Developing Centres Fund � ECD assesses eligibility and disburses grants to new and existing license-exempt groups. This includes monitoring and reporting on grant use.
3.Licensed and Chartered Centres � Supporting the Formal Sector
Licensing and Chartering Information and Advice - information and advice are provided to centres' staff and managers, and to parents and communities, about licensing and chartering requirements. The purpose is to help early childhood centres to meet licensing and chartering requirements, and improve the quality of their services.
Professional Development - professional support services for staff and management in licensed and chartered centres, associations and home-based schemes. Programmes include:
�He Kete Oriori - Professional development for M�ori centres
�He Kete Pasifika - Professional development for Pacific Islands centres
�He Kete �tea - Professional development for mainstream centres, including:
�Whak�rotia for mainstream centres that have M�ori children and wh�nau as part of their client base.
4.Other Family Focused Initiatives
Atawhaingia Te P� Harakeke - Nurture the Family - a national training and professional support programme for M�ori and iwi social service providers to deliver two strands of services using M�ori customs, practices, and values:
�H�kuitanga/H�korotanga � a parenting support programme that highlights the importance of care and nurturing for babies and children; and
�He T�onga Te Mokopuna - a support programme for young children who have been affected by domestic violence and neglect.
ECD provides this training under contract to the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services.
He T�onga Te Mokopuna � The Child is a Treasure � service delivery programme targeting children affected by domestic violence. It aims to rebuild self-esteem and confidence, and teach strategies for keeping children safe. ECD delivers the programme under contract to the Department of Courts.
Participation Project � ECD staff support the Pacific peoples� increased participation project, which identifies non-attending children and barriers to their non-attendance. Solutions are developed and implemented. The programme is administered under contract to the Ministry of Education.
The website for ECD is www.ecd.govt.nz
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