Swings + Roundabouts Autumn 2021

Over the last few months, a number of things have happened in our sector that show a lack of common sense, that inevitably impacts on ECE centres and their staff. The most recent is the decision by the Ministry of Education to micro-manage what children eat. We have every sympathy for the few children who have experienced a choking incident and their parents where that incident gets a bit more serious. We acknowledge that the risk of young children choking is a legitimate risk, one any responsible centre should be aware of and have strategies in place to minimise, in addition to a solid response procedure for when and if a choking incident occurs. No question there. But we have several issues with how this has been approached. To start with, the Ministry of Health Guidelines “Reducing food-related choking for babies and young children at early learning services” are just that – guidelines. The Ministry of Health uses the term “recommendations”. They were never designed or intended to be used as black and white rules. The more the Ministry of Education tries to impose these guidelines as rules, the more holes appear in their thinking. The risk of choking is not limited to food. There are plenty of children out there who have formed a liking to bits of crayon, chalk, twigs, bark, bugs – in fact anything they can lay their hands on. Such a rabid focus on food begs the question, what about everything else? There is plenty of research about children developing mastication skills, how this helps their breathing, language development, food management and so on. So grating, boiling and mashing the living daylights out of everything could be perceived as counter- productive. The Ministry, perhaps a little latently in the process, came up with the idea that only those centres that prepare and serve food had to apply the guidelines as rules. And that centres where parents provide lunchboxes did not have to be subject to teachers moonlighting as the food police. Thanks for that. But what about centres where both occur? One child has an apple for morning tea – peeled, cored, and grated. Another has a whole apple, or it might be quartered, in their lunchbox. There they sit, side-by-side, happily discussing the merits of bureaucratic policy deserving of a plot line from Yes Minister! And what about centres with little vegetable gardens? Chances are they’ll feature food on the banned list, like a pea. How will centres manage children doing what children do and taking the opportunity to pick and eat fresh veges straight from the garden. And what about centres with fruit trees on their property? Chop them down, or put an electric fence around them during their fruiting season? One of the staple diet offerings of many parents – the humble rice cracker – banned. And the fundraising time sausage sizzle? Banned. The solution to this is depressingly simple. All childcare centres are required to adhere to the Health and Safety at Work Act. They are all responsible to identify and document hazards and risks for anyone attending the centre – that includes children. Ministry officials would be well advised to talk to centres about whether they see children choking as a hazard and risk and what they are doing to manage and reduce that risk. The obligation is already out there, without trying to get overly protective and bureaucratic. In a recent poll of childcare centres, a staggering 93% of respondents called for the implementation of the Ministry’s rules to be delayed and some common sense applied. Plenty of parents are also expressing concern. Will the Ministry listen? WHEN SHOULD COMMON SENSE PREVAIL? MESSAGE CEO's March 2021 { 8 }