FROM THE Editor Kia ora koutou katoa, Ki te kotahi te kākaho, ka whati; ki te kāpuia, e kore e whati. - Kingi Tūkāroto Matutaera Pōtatau Te Wherowhero Tāwhiao If a reed stands alone, it can be broken, if it is in a group, it cannot. (Alone we are vulnerable, but together we are unbreakable.) This year’s ECC Conference is all about growing together with a focus on a collaborative approach for future success for all in early childhood education. To grow as a profession we need to bring together owners, managers, teachers, parents, communities, agencies, and the government. And as the last two years has shown us, this has become increasingly apparent, from the uncertainty of Covid-19, alongside other factors such as the disparity between different funding models, pay between teachers and equal pay for equal work, and issues such as a shortage of qualified teachers. If you want to become part of the solution then this conference is for you. For further information keep an eye on the ECC website, www.ecc.org.nz and save the date, 16 & 17 September 2022. Sharing ideas is one form of collaboration, and John Maher, a centre owner from Manawatū, has kindly shared his thoughts on opting into Pay Parity. To read John’s tips and insights head to page 12. On pages 16 & 17 we meet Aimee Hawke, the newest member of the ECC Executive. Aimee’s aspirations for bringing about change and support for our sector in this role and within her own early learning centres is evident and inspirational. The word ‘networking’ is an ugly word for most, but as Phil Sales explains from page 18, networking is about connection, ongoing collaboration with other people and going to events with clear goals of what success will look like for you. Collaboration is also one of the key points in Tiffany Smith’s article, Caring for our team through knowledge sharing from page 20. Tiffany suggests some helpful tips on how knowledge can be shared, managed, and where to look for sharing opportunities. Well worth a read if you are leading a team. Network Planning is an upcoming issue in ECE, and it’s important to be aware of how this may impact you if you have any intentions of establishing a new service or expanding an existing licence in the future. To find out more go to page 24. With Ministry of Education (2021) numbers showing that at least 73 languages were spoken across New Zealand’s early childhood services, how do early childhood teachers best support young children in their cultures, languages, and identities in a multi-lingual environment? The ECC’s Senior Policy Officer, Katina Beauchamp helps answer this question in her article, Language diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood services on page 26. Thank you so much to our autumn contributors, your support is always appreciated. If you’d like to contribute an article to Swings & Roundabouts, we’d love to hear from you. We like to share positive ECE management and teaching stories to inspire and inform our readers. Any topic you would like to write on will be considered. Kia noho haumaru. Ngā mihi Trudi Sutcliffe Editor Specialised business insurance for over 1500 childcare centres Get your insurance sorted 0800 765 429 childproof.co.nz March 2022 { 7 }
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