ECC Conference 2023: Striving for Excellence - Wellington 22 & 23 July - Visit the ECC website for more info and book your early bird registrations 2022 ECC Conference Highlights Earthed Stories – Connecting to the natural world through storytelling Sensory Gardens PLEASE SHARE THIS MAGAZINE! If you know anyone who would like to read the interesting and informative articles in Swings & Roundabouts, pass it on! ISSN 1179-688X (Print) • ISSN 1179-7517 (Online) PO Box 5649, Lambton Quay, Wellington 6145 summer 2022
Inside this issue... Editor Trudi Sutcliffe Editorial Enquiries publications@ecc.org.nz Advertising Enquiries Catherine Norton Waterford Press Ltd PO Box 37346, Christchurch, New Zealand. Phone: 03 983 5526 Email: catherine@waterfordpress.co.nz www.waterfordpress.co.nz Production Co-ordinator Luke Lynch Content Co-ordinator Patti Brown Graphic Designer Liki Udam Subscription Enquiries Early Childhood Council PO Box 5649, Lambton Quay, Wellington 6145 Phone: 0800 742 742 Email: admin@ecc.org.nz www.ecc.org.nz DISCLAIMER: A cancellation fee of 25% may be charged if the booking is cancelled after the sales cut off date. Your Media Consultant will be able to provide that information if you are not aware of it. Applications for advertising in Swings & Roundabouts will be considered from the following: 1) Early childhood centres and/or their associated management groups that are members of the Early Childhood Council. 2) Trade and service suppliers to the early childhood industry. 3) Government and not-for-profit organisations. Please note: Some industries may be restricted due to exclusive arrangements with the Early Childhood Council. Please note: We do not accept advertisements for staff vacancies. All advertising content is at the sole discretion of the editor. All advertising will be at the rates determined by Waterford Press Ltd. Swings & Roundabouts is produced by the Early Childhood Council and is sent free of charge to all independent early childhood centres in New Zealand. The information contained in Swings & Roundabouts is of a general nature only. Readers should not act on the basis of the information it contains without seeking advice for their own specific circumstances. The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the view of the Early Childhood Council Incorporated. All content in this magazine is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the editor. Swings & Roundabouts is published quarterly for the Early Childhood Council by Waterford Press Ltd. 7 From the Editor 8 CEO’s Message 10 ECC Conference 2022 Highlights 14 ECC Update 16 So You Know 18 Black Door Law – Employment law advice for ECC members 22 Juice Technologies strengthens NZ early education sector 24 Ventilation – a hot topic 26 Graduating from the School of Luck 28 E ngā Kaiako o ngā Kura Kōhungahunga o te motu, tēnā koutou 30 Earthed Stories – Connect to the natural world through storytelling 32 Making words sparkle 34 Study investigates benefits of early autism diagnosis 36 Sensory gardens 38 Resource Reviews 44 Last Laugh December 2022 { 5 }
JOIN TODAY! Insider information and advice to keep you safe, viable and compliant Discounted professional development workshops and webinars Preferred supplier discounts Advocacy on your behalf when you need it Latest news and insights Tools and templates PROMOTING HIGH QUALITY ECE AND SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT CENTRES IN NEW ZEALAND ECC Members receive: "The webinars and resources have been invaluable, as well as the advocacy on behalf of the members and the sector" - Sheree "Thank you for all the help the ECC is providing, it's a total minefield and I don't know where I'd be without you guys" - Charlotte 0800 742 742 admin@ecc.org.nz ecc.org.nz
Seasons Greetings And just like that …. it is December. This year has been a year of ups and downs for many but with a lessening of covid restrictions there have been many more opportunities this year to connect with others. The ECC Conference this year was a great example of this. The first conference since 2020 it offered a perfect opportunity for delegates to connect with others, be inspired and feel revitalised for the year ahead – and don’t we all deserve this? Read from page 10 some of the many highlights this conference offered to attendees and make sure you make a date in your calendar for the ECC’s 2023 conference – it’s going to be a blast! The ECC has a new preferred supplier arrangement with specialist employment law firm Black Door Law Limited. To find out more about the services they will offer ECC members and more information about the company go to page 18. Read from page 22 how together Infocare, APT and Kidsoft will be supporting their clients under Juice Technologies including greater sharing of innovation and knowledge across the Australian and New Zealand markets. We can’t seem to get away from ventilation being a ‘hot’ topic. If you are still confused on what is ventilation, how it works, the regulations that support ventilation, and how you can improve the ventilation in your centre head to page 24. Do you consider yourself ‘lucky’? Go to page 26 for an intriguing read around the idea of being lucky and unlucky and their relationship around positivity and resilience. Despite the fact that we are hearing more te reo Māori within in our everyday lives, we are still being asked, Why should Te Ao Māori be implemented in ECE centres across Aotearoa, and what benefit or opportunities will this create for my tamariki? To support your answer next time you are questioned read this informative piece by Te Awe Davis on page 28. Earthed Stories – Connecting to the natural world through storytelling, is a practical article by Tanya Batt, a renowned storyteller, author and arts educator. The title speaks for itself. Head to page 30 and be inspired! Making words sparkle along with a few strategies on increasing children’s vocabulary can be found on page 32. Although it’s summer and too hot to do much in the garden but mulch, water and harvest, it doesn’t hurt to start considering what your outdoor space offers and how it can be improved further. Whether you are starting with a blank canvas or an established outdoor area this article on page 36 will give you a few ideas on how you can create a space that activates all the senses. Thank you to all our summer contributors and have a very merry Christmas. Ngā mihi Trudi Sutcliffe Editor Tēnā te ngaru whati, tēnā te ngaru puku There is a wave that breaks, there is a wave that swells. FROM THE Editor Your insurance sorted 0800 765 429 crombielockwood.co.nz /childproof Protecting over 1500 childcare centres with specialised business insurance. December 2022 { 7 }
MESSAGE CEO's What a year it’s been! The ECC Conference in Napier was such a success. We delivered an event that thrust about 400 centre managers and teachers, alongside important leaders in business and our industry together – and enthralled them with keynotes and more workshops than people knew what to choose. I found it both exhausting and invigorating. Exhausting because there is just so much going on when you bring so many people and interesting topics together. Invigorating because there is so much innovation and passion driving the people who work in early childhood. Delivering a successful conference was a really important commitment I made as incoming CEO. We are moving deliberately now to establish a regular cycle of ECC conferences each year. This will involve conferences in Wellington for Election Years and in the other years we will rotate between different main centres, where travel and accommodation options can be more plentiful, and to regions to hold smaller conferences (like Napier). We want to deliver conferences to connect people across early childhood – to build them professionally and to enthral our attendees with interesting and engaging speakers and programmes. Conferences can be such great opportunities for networking and to establish connections with people who can support you. I don’t expect everyone to go to a conference every year – but you should give it a try and check out an ECC conference at some point. It’s a good investment in you and for your team. And of course I’d say that you’ll love it too – as I was a newcomer to this year’s conference I found it a good mix of fun, interesting and educationally extending. The famous ECC gala dinner is especially good fun. See page 13 for details about Conference 2023! We’ve got even bigger plans! I’m about to announce our international keynote speaker. Stay tuned for more updates. Simon Laube with Tupe Solomon Tanoa’i, keynote speaker at the ECC Conference December 2022 { 8 }
Other updates Key achievements I’m really pleased to advise that ECC’s Swings & Roundabouts editor, Trudi Sutcliffe, has recently graduated with a Master of Education with Distinction at Te Herenga Waka / Victoria University of Wellington. Trudi is a highly experienced early childhood teacher. I asked Trudi what she enjoyed most from her study, she said: “I did love exploring leadership and deepening my knowledge in how to lead both as a teacher or within a leadership role with dignity and authenticity within a transformative leadership framework.” We are proud of you Trudi. ECC Surveys ECC’s October Sentiment Tracker survey (of ECC members) collected impressive and insightful data on issues like relief teachers, waiting lists and costs that centres are facing. Thank you to all the members who participated – and to everyone running centres in New Zealand, this is how ECC listens and can be a strong voice for you. The survey report is available for free to members only. ECC’s Wages & Salaries Survey 2022 is in the drafting process. I can advise that the sample size was strong and that the initial results were jaw-dropping! More on this expected before Christmas (survey respondents get a free summary report from ECC soon). ECC is recruiting a policy advisor ECC’s office is located in Wellington. We have a very small team of about six people. We are recruiting a policy advisor to increase our efforts on current issues like Pay Parity. Much of our policy work is focused on the implementation side of policy – often seeking refinements to existing policy and ensuring centres have the capability to understand and comply. This policy role would suit someone with knowledge of the early childhood sector and strong policy/analytical/writings skills. Everything we do is about helping centres to be successful and reducing unnecessary burdens. Email ceo@ecc.org.nz for details of the application process and to get a position description. Closes 24 Feb 2023 Why is ECC encouraging centres to contact the Ombudsman? It’s so interesting hearing people chatting about things they think are conspiracies or conniving in ECE. This topic is one of those where ECC has caused a few ripples recently, leading to chatter or disquiet back in the MoE lunchrooms… ECC ran a webinar in late September on the rights available to centres targeted unreasonably by regulators (like the Ministry). We get a high frequency of calls on this from our members, so we have to provide support. It’s not practical for ECC to represent every member but we are able to discern patterns and systematic behaviours that are occurring. If we didn’t act, we would lose members and children would lose their centres when the Ministry cancels licences, for example. Firstly, on licence compliance issues, we encourage centres to get clarifications so they know precisely what the Ministry’s concerns are. You would think that should be a given, but it’s not. Then, if there are conditions being imposed on the licence, the centre should be open and communicative with the Ministry to ensure that their remedial responses will actually alleviate those concerns. If a centre does these steps well then the issues should be able to be resolved. What I see is that many times the concerns raised by the Ministry are unclear to the centre. The issues or concern may vary wildly between what was said by officials during a visit and what is in the letter, or the concerns may be unreasonable (because there’s no evidence to support them) or unjustified (no reasonable person could have the concern or there is no legal basis provided in raising the concern). This is where complaints processes can be so valuable. In most cases, when you are proactive with a government department about your concern you should be able to get a resolution without needing to make a complaint to the Ombudsman. Indeed your strategy should not rely on the Ombudsman – that is a last resort. You are proactive and open about the issues with the department first, and contact the Ombudsman once all else fails. The Ombudsman’s Office faces a backlog of cases to investigate, and timeframes for routine cases appear to be taking 6-12 months minimum. Even if you are in the right, it takes courage to stand up for yourself. Many centres are reluctant to risk it though – and it’s this reluctance we need to change for the good of all centres. We are all quick to agree that expectations on centres have increased steadily and yet imperceptivity in the last decade. We too need to do our bit and expect more from public officials. Asking the question about what’s reasonable is a core part of us living in a free and democratic country like New Zealand. If you do not feel safe, how can you be confident that your centre environment is safe for the children and teachers? ECC Preferred Suppliers There are exciting developments in store for ECC members. I can reveal some of the highlights with you today. Read page 18 to understand more about ECC’s refresh to our Employment Helpline service. This is a free service to ECC members. I warmly welcome Caro Rieger and team from Black Door Law to the ECC fold. Buddle Findlay isn’t leaving us! Buddle Findlay continues to work with ECC on key issues like Pay Equity and providing a wide range of legal advice to members at discounted rates. Employment law matters generally are shifting to Black Door Law from 1 December 2022. We welcome a new preferred supplier – Kindello! Logan Whitelaw and company have created an online platform to help parents choose the right ECE centre for their children. ECC members will receive a discount. We are also working with Kindello around issues like the new network management regulations – an ECC webinar is planned for 25 January 2023 ahead of the new regime starting on 1 Feb. Ngā mihi Simon December 2022 { 9 }
Over the 16th and 17th of September, the Early Childhood Council (ECC) Conference was held in Napier at the War Memorial Centre. This was the first national event that the ECC has been able to host since 2020. Centre Tours Thursday welcomed delegates to Napier with a special Centre Tours event – riding in the iconic art deco buses. Delegates were taken around six different centres across the Hawke’s Bay. It was an experience enjoyed by all, and allowed centre managers to reconnect and share ideas. Keynote Speakers CEO Simon Laube began the conference with his keynote speech showcasing his vision for the future of ECC and the early childhood sector. His key message being that centres need to have a stronger voice within Government, and the ECC wants to help make this happen. Minister of Education Hon Chris Hipkins joined the conference via Zoom after a flight cancellation and took time to answer a variety of questions from the audience. Philanthropist Tupe Solomon-Tanoa’i took to the floor to show how embracing diversity and recognising contributions can uplift your centre’s staff, children and community. After lunch, the Teacher Supply Panel saw a range of early childhood stakeholders (such as the Ministry of Education, NZQA, and centre managers) discuss the factors affecting teacher supply in New Zealand and how we can encourage early childhood education to be more valued and attract more qualified people. Childspace founders Toni and Robin Christie shared how ECE centres must go beyond a transactional approach and focus on how children learn and how to develop your centre to support this. Neuroscience expert Kathryn Berkett spoke about the red brain/green brain concept and how we can use this theory to better understand and support children. Growing Together 2022 ECC Conference Highlights December 2022 { 10 }
Gala Dinner Friday night saw the main plenary room transform into a stage and dancefloor for the Gala Dinner. Dinner speaker Karen O’Leary charmed the crowd with her humour while spectacular food was served to attendees. After an exciting first day of keynote speakers, all guests were delighted to let loose to local band Audio Pimp and bust a move on the dancefloor. Saturday Programme Saturday was an action packed day of workshops for all involved in ECE, ensuring there were workshops for those in centre management, owners and teachers. The ECC ran an extensive programme of workshops which promoted success in centres, from financial management to mastering social media and supporting your team. For those with a focus on the curriculum, workshops explored supporting children who hae experienced trauma, the continuity care model and learning what the difference between Rituals and Routines. Over the 16th and 17th of September, the Early Childhood Council (ECC) Conference was held in Napier at the War Memorial Centre. This was the first national event that the ECC has been able to host since 2020. Connection Throughout the event, the exhibition hall was buzzing with market leaders of ECE products from software solutions, playground and toy resources to education providers. Delegates left with bags full of shiny new puzzles and books, and minds full of ideas and inspiration. The entire event was marked by a sense of community and belonging. After spending so much time apart and speaking over Zoom, everyone was happy to meet face to face again. The ECC staff and Executive relished the opportunity to meet those in the early childhood sector, especially the members who support the work of the organisation. This event would not have been possible without the support of our delegates and sponsors, as well as the team at Napier Conferences and Events. No matter what your role in early childhood is, we invite you to attend the Conference next year in Wellington. We can assure that you will be welcomed with open arms to an exciting and inspiring event which genuinely supports quality early childhood education in New Zealand. December 2022 { 11 }
Delegate comments “Loved it all - the tour was extremely beneficial. I loved the keynote speakers and got even more than I expected from the range of speakers. Fabulous panel discussion which was well-balanced and the Gala event was a fun break in the intensity of the learning we were doing and all the workshops had benefits for me.” “Knowing the ECC really does have our backs is fantastic. ECC is a professional body and this was certainly demonstrated.” “I really enjoyed the gala dinner as it was a great opportunity to meet others. I also really enjoyed moving through the workshops.” “The whole conference was a wonderful experience. The trade tables were great and open to discussions. The key note speakers were relevant.” “Thanks for a great weekend!! Helped to bring some motivation back for the job after a tough couple of years.” Conference 2023 Ticket Photo Conference Winner, Tracey Savage (far left) from Kawerau Preschool Learning Centre who received a free ticket to the ECC Conference in Wellington next year in July! December 2022 { 12 }
ECC’s Safety Checking Toolkit Many centres continue to be found non-compliant by ERO and Ministry in checks. ECC has made this a focus area to support centres to do better. Even confident centres can get caught out by the child protection framework. Our team have worked tirelessly to bring you our newest toolkit on Safety Checking for staff. It is a full comprehensive guide to ensure that your centre is compliant when ERO visit. We have already received lots of positive feedback from centre managers. The webinar will be repeated in the future as we recommend that everyone does a refresh. MoE refused then developed a rival toolkit - which we don't think is as good as ours! This complete toolkit provides you with an in depth guide to the seven steps of Safety Checking required for all new and existing staff in your centre. You will receive: ● 1 hour recording of the webinar ● Webinar slides ● Safety Checking Toolkit The webinar was convened by Simon Laube (ECC Chief Executive) and Katina Beauchamp (ECC Senior Policy Advisor). Cost: ECC Member: $30 GST exclusive; Non-member: $90 GST exclusive To order go here, www.ecc.org.nz/safetycheckingtoolkit ECC Update ECC Update Nau mai, haere mai The Early Childhood Council (ECC) warmly welcomes the following early learning centres that recently joined the ECC: ● Nelson Park Kindergarten, Toddler & Baby Centre, Napier ● Expressions Early Education Centre, Auckland ● Tiny Legends Early Learning Centre, Palmerston North ● Akoteu To’o Lelei, Auckland ● Rose Ring Kindergarten, Tauranga ● Happy Learning Great North Road Centre, Auckland ● Marshwood Montessori, Auckland ● Childspace Early Learning Centres: Wilton; Ngaio, Northland, Karori, Wellington ● Grace Christian Community Preschool, Auckland ● Kids Klub, Auckland ● The Learning Castle, Auckland ● Future Focus - Group Services: Papamoa Beach; The Bach; Terrace Views; The Boulevard, Papamoa ● A’oga Amata Porirua, Wellington ● Little Minds ELC, Te Awamutu ● Kereru Kindy, Whangārei ● Haven Early Learning Centre, Christchurch ● Kew Pacific Island Early Learning Centre, Invercargill ● SuperKidz Early Learning Centre, Auckland ● Two Rivers Early Learning Village, Ngāruawāhia December 2022 { 14 }
Being proactive with regulators Former Ombudsman Leo Donelly joined ECC CEO Simon Laube in September to host the ‘Supporting centres to be proactive with regulators’ webinar, which is now available to purchase. This webinar is incredibly important for centres with upcoming ERO visits or who are currently dealing with the Ministry and feel you are receiving unfair treatment. Cost: ECC Member: $30 GST exclusive; Non-member: $90 GST exclusive To order go here, www.ecc.org.nz/ shop555 Policy Updates The immunisation register legislation (Health Immunisation) Regulations 1995 requires all early education and care centres to maintain an immunisation register. The ECC currently has no templates or guidance on immunisation but are reviewing this now to ensure centres are well supported. Watch this space! The following policies were recently updated on the ECC website for ECC members, you can find all these policies here, www.ecc. org.nz/supportandresources/ toolsandresources and within the Policy Management webpage: ● Food Safety Policy HS19 ● Food Act Checklist Guidance HS19 ● Infectious Diseases Policy HS26 ● Visitors and Supervision policy December 2022 { 15 }
YOU SO KNOW The NELPs and Te Whāriki If you are wondering about how to integrate the NELPs in your centre, there are new tools and resources on Te Whāriki Online. These are to support implementing the Priorities and to show how they align with the early learning curriculum; https://tewhariki.tki.org. nz/en/design-your-curriculum/nelp/ Teacher Registration information Centres establishing the initial salary scale for pay parity purposes may request teachers’ date of registration. If teachers need evidence for their registration and the date when they were first registered they should email the Teaching Council. Email: enquiries@teachingcouncil.nz Starting school together research articles Traditionally New Zealand children started school on their fifth birthday. Recently some schools have changed this to children starting school in scheduled groups. ERO's latest report on starting school has found that children starting school at the same time, called cohort entry, can have many benefits for children, whānau and schools. Research include: A Guide for ECE Services on Children Starting School in Groups Find the research here; https://ero.govt.nz/our-research/ category/starting-school-together Ministry of Health: National Immunisation Programme update The Ministry of Health recently announced that they will be preparing to launch the new vaccinator portal. This allows users to view their vaccine history and record vaccines delivered by Pharmacy (excluding COVID and Flu). The pilot has been planned for late September, after which, providers will be invited to adopt in defined stages. Any questions can be sent to AIR. engagement@health.govt.nz Funding for Teacher Education Refresh Desperately seeking ECE teachers! Teacher Education Refresh (TER) will be fees-free until June 2023. TER is a Teaching Council programme designed for qualified teachers with previous, limited or no teaching experience. The Teaching Council has also increased the options available for teachers taking the programme, with a fast track option included for teachers already in employment in a centre. For information go here: www.teachnz. govt.nz/information-for-schools-andprincipals/teacher-supply/teachereducation-refresh/ December 2022 { 16 }
Education for disabled learners in New Zealand research articles Receiving a quality education, from early childhood education (ECE) through to secondary school, positively affects how well all children and young people do at school and in life – from academic achievement and earning potential to health and wellbeing. Education is even more critical for disabled learners. When disabled learners receive a quality, inclusive education they are more likely to achieve better outcomes, to complete secondary schooling and to go on to further study and employment. This research looks at how well the education system is supporting disabled learners. It found that too many disabled learners are experiencing exclusion. We need to improve education for disabled learners so they can thrive. (Although this research focuses on compulsory schooling, it’s a worthwhile read to support your own disabled learners and whānau when transitioning to school.) Read more here; https://ero.govt.nz/our-research/category/ education-for-disabled-learners-in-new-zealand Duffy’s helping tackle NZ’s growing illiteracy epidemic A Ministry of Education (MoE) 2020 report warns both children and teens are quickly losing proficient reading and writing abilities. Linda Vagana, CEO of Duffy Books in Homes, says her team knows its drive to get books into homes is becoming more and more crucial. The Alan Duff Charitable Foundation, better known as Duffy Books in Homes, is a literacy programme aimed at breaking the cycle of booklessness among children at schools in some lower socio-economic areas throughout New Zealand. The not-for-profit organisation places free, brand-new books in children’s hands through early childhood learning centres, schools and their libraries. Vagana says that the work of the Duffy team is only made possible with help from over 200 generous funding partners, including Ministry of Education, key collaboration with ReadNZ and Storylines, and Duffy Books’ pool of inspirational role models assisting with the provision of gifting brand new books to more than 100,000 New Zealand children three times a year. Established in up to 800 schools and pre-schools nationwide, hundreds of thousands of kiwi kids get to choose up to six brand new books a year. This means the children get to read what they are interested in, keep their books for life, and share them with friends and family. To jump on board as a Duffy sponsor or to become a Duffy school, visit the organisation’s website at www.booksinhomes.org.nz December 2022 { 17 }
The Early Childhood Council is excited to announce a preferred supplier arrangement with specialist employment law firm Black Door Law Limited BLACK DOOR LAW LIMITED Black Door Law is a boutique employment law firm based in Wellington. Black Door Law services clients across Aotearoa New Zealand in almost every industry and sector. Black Door Law was founded in 2021 by Caroline Rieger (Caro) who after a wealth of experience and time in partnership leading employment law teams at big firms wanted to create a law firm that was truly values-driven and led. The firm is a truly specialist employment law firm. With 3 specialist employment lawyers (Caro, Sorina and Grace), a law clerk (Ameesha) and office administrator (Lauren), the firm provides top notch legal advice. Black Door Law prides itself on excellence in client service and understanding that sometimes the legal issue is only a small part of a wider problem that needs to be addressed. The Firm’s commitment to excellence has led to them being named one of four excellence awardees in the New Zealand Law Awards – Specialist Employment Law Firm of the Year for 2021/2022. Black Door Law puts people at the centre of what they do and this is underpinned by the values of: • Integrity • Continual improvement • Thoughtfulness • Collaboration • Flexibility; and • Fun The firm has harnessed technology to enable the team to work from anywhere with an internet connection while not compromising on client experience or service. As part of the values base of the firm, the firm encourages all members of their team to support causes that are important to them. The firm has committed a portion of its profit going to three deserving charities: Surf Life Saving New Zealand, Dementia Wellington, and Bellyful (all of which have personal significance to Caro). Supporting the community occurs through a range of avenues and ensuring that all people directly and indirectly employed by the firm or contracted to the firm are able to live with dignity is a key component. This is why Black Door Law is an accredited living wage employer and is only one of 12 law firms in New Zealand with this accreditation. SERVICES Black Door Law can assist with the full range of employment law issues that arise including: • Resolving employment relationship problems • Avoiding and/or defending personal grievance claims • Devising formal and informal processes to address disciplinary, performance and medical incapacity issues • Organisational restructures and change processes (including redundancies) • Bullying and harassment complaints • Drafting employment agreements, contracts for services and workplace policies • Salary, wage and leave matters • Parental leave and employment protection issues Specialist employment law advice for all ECC members Putting people at the centre of what we do. w Specialist e ploy ent law advice for all ECC e bers Putting people at the centre of what e do. The Early Childh od Council is excit to announce a pref rr d supplier arrangement ith specialist employment law firm Black Door Law Limited BLACK DOOR LAW LIMITED Black Door Law is a boutique employment law firm based in Wellington. Black Door Law services clients across Aotearoa New Zealand in almost every industry and sector. Black Door Law was founded in 2021 by Caroline Rieger (Caro) who after a wealth of experience and time in partnership leading employment law teams at big firms wanted to create a law firm that was truly values-driven and led. The firm is a truly specialist employment law firm. With 3 specialist employment lawyers (Caro, Sorina and Grace), a law clerk (Ameesha) and office administrator (Lauren), the firm provides top notch legal advice. Black Door Law prides itself on excellence in client ervic nd understanding that sometimes the legal issue is only a small pa t of a wid r problem tha n eds to be addr ss d. Th firm’s commitment to excellence has d to them being nam d one of four excellence awardees in the New Zealand Law Awards – Specialist Employment Law Firm of the Year for 2021/2022. Black Door Law puts people at the centre of what they do, and this is underpinned by the values of: • Integrity • Continual improvement • Thoughtfulness • Collaboration • Flexibility; and • Fun The firm has harnessed technology to enable the team to work from anywhere with an internet connection while not compromising on client experience or service. As part f th v lues bas of the f m, the firm encourages all members of their ea to support c uses tha are important to them. The firm as committed a po ion of its profit goi to thre deserving charities: Surf Life Saving New Zealand, Dementia Wellington, and Bellyful (all of which have personal significance to Caro). Supp rting th community occurs through a range of avenues and ensuring that all people directly and indirectly employed by the firm or contracted to the firm ar able to live with dignity is a key component. This is why Black Door Law is an accredited living wage employer and is only one of 12 law firms in New Zealand with this accreditation. SERVICES Black Door Law can assist with the full range of employment law issues that arise including: • Resolving employment relationship problems • Avoiding and/or defending personal grievance claims • Devising formal and informal processes to address disciplinary, performance and medical incapacity issues • Organisational restructures and change processes (including redundancies) • Bullying and harassment complaints • Drafting employment agreements, contracts for services and workplace policies • Salary, wage and leave matters • Parental leave and employment protection issues { 18 } December 2022 December 2022 { 18 }
Ameesha Patel, Sorina Casvean-Muresan, Caroline Rieger, Grace Adeyinka, Lauren Askew • Reporting obligations to auditors or professional bodies • Privacy matters • Employment obligations during the sale/purchase of a business • Representation in mediation, ERA and Employment Court • Restraint of trade issues. BLACK DOOR LAW AND THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL The Early Childhood Council and Black Door Law have been exploring ways to add real value to the Early Childhood Council members. On 1 December 2022, Black Door Law will be the Early Childhood Council’s preferred supplier for employment law advice including the refreshed ECC Employer Helpline. The helpline will now provide 20 minute free consultations to all financial members of the ECC. The helpline is available between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays and the Christmas New Year closedown). In the event a specialist employment lawyer is not immediately available Black Door Law will arrange a call back at a convenient time to the member. In the event that your query is unable to be answered in the session, Black Door Law offers preferred rates to ECC members to help them solve their employment law issues. The Early Childhood Council and Black Door Law are aligned in their commitment to people, and how supporting one person has a ripple effect that will support the tamariki in the centres supported by ECC which will help to make New Zealand a country that we can all be proud of. MORE ABOUT CARO The eagle eyed among you may have spotted Caro at the conference in October. To help you understand more about the person behind the firm we sat down with Caro to find out more about her and Black Door Law. WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? I was born and raised in Feilding in the Manawatu. My parents purchased a house on Kimbolton Road the year before I was born. My older brother and sister moved with my parents from the South Island to the house and my dad still lives in that house today. WHAT HAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE ECE BEEN LIKE? My first involvement in an ECE centre was as a child attending a small centre in Feilding. I was so attached to that centre that when I was going to be moving to Kindergarten after 3 attempts for Mum to leave me at Kindergarten she decided I should stay at the centre. My second involvement in the ECE sector was when my sister who is a trained early childhood teacher and my parents purchased the land and building of a struggling centre in Feilding. It was an old home that had been converted by the previous owners to a centre. As a teenager I spent my school holidays (before the reopening under a new name and licence) pulling staples out of the walls, painting, cleaning and being involved with this new venture. My brother and his wife now run the centres which are in the Manawatu and it has been a true family business for over two decades. I have learned a lot about the sector at the family dinner table and provided advice and this has created a real understanding of the common problems and issues faced by ECE centres. My third involvement in the sector is as a parent. I have 3 children aged 16, 5 and 2. All of which have attended ECE centres in Hawke’s Bay and Wellington. It has is really important to me to know our children are safe and happy while we are away from them. It is such a gift and all centres my children have attended have provided that over the years. Ameesha Patel, Sorina Casvean-Muresan, Caroline Rieger, Grace Adeyinka, Lauren Askew • ti ligations to auditors or r f i l i • rivacy atters • Employment obligations during the sale/purchase of a business • Representation in mediation, ERA and Employment Court • Restraint of trade issues. BLACK DOOR LAW AND THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL The Early Childhood Council and Black Door Law have been exploring ways to add real value to the Early Childhood Council members. On 1 December 2022, Black Door Law will be the Early Childhood Council’s preferred supplier for employment law advice including the refreshed ECC Employer Helpline. The helpline will now provide 20 minute free consultations to all financial members of the ECC. The helpline is available between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays and the Christmas New Year closedown). In the event a specialist employment lawyer is not immediately available, Black Door Law will arrange a call back at a time convenient to the member. In the event that your query is unable to be answered in the session, Black Door Law offers preferred rates to ECC members to help them solve their employment law issues. The Early Childhood Council and Black Door Law are aligned in their commitment to people, and how supporting one person has a rip le ef ect that will sup ort the tamariki in the centres sup orted by EC which will help to make Ne Zealand a country that we can all be proud f. RE ABOUT CARO The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted Caro at the conference in October. To help you understand more about the person behind the firm we sat down with Caro to find out more about her and Black Door Law. WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? I was born and raised in Feilding in the Manawatu. My parents purchased a house on Kimbolton Road the year before I was born. My older brother and sister moved with my parents from the South Island to the house and my dad still lives in that house today. WHAT HAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE ECE BEEN LIKE? My first involvement in an ECE centre was as a child attending a small centre in Feilding. I was so attached to that centre that when I was going to be moving to Kindergarten after 3 attempts for Mum to leave me at Kindergarten, she decided I should stay at the centre. My second involvement in the ECE sector was when my sister who is a trained early childhood teacher and my parents purchased the land and building of a struggling centre in Feilding. It was an old home that had been converted by the previous owners to a centre. As a te nager I spent my school holidays (before the reopeni g under a new name and licence) pulling staples out of the walls, painting, cleani g and being involved with t is new venture. My brother and his wife now run the centres which are in the Manawatū and it has been a true family business for over two decades. I have learned a lot about the sector at the family dinner table and provided advice and this has created a real understanding of the com on problems and issues faced by ECE centres. My third involvement in the sector is as a parent. I have 3 children aged 16, 5 and 2, all of which have attended ECE centres in Hawke’s Bay and Wellington. It is really important to me to know our children are safe and happy while we are away from them. It is such a gift and all centres my children have attended have provided that over the years. December 2022 { 19 } December 2022 { 19 }
HOW HAS YOUR FAMILY’S INVOLVEMENT IN ECE CHANGED YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE? The importance of play for children (and adults) is something that I have learned through ECE – maybe that is why FUN is one of the firm values! Also, through having children of my own I have always found it fascinating that the thing that children want to play with the most is not the lovely beautiful expensive toy but the stick from the garden they use as a drum stick and bang on the pot from the kitchen they have taken from the cupboard while you are cooking dinner. Interestingly this is similar to the law, people do not want the fancy legal opinions and case law references. Yes, they want to know you know your stuff but what they really want is answers and solutions. They want to feel heard (like children) and they want support when they need it (again like children). WHAT LED YOU TO WORKING IN EMPLOYMENT LAW? When I was in high school I was not sure what I wanted to do when I left school. My parents were incredibly insightful and gave me the opportunity to travel to South America for a gap year. I lived in Argentina and that experience totally changed my life. My focus turned to wanting to help people. Despite not knowing exactly how I would do that, I came back and started a law degree at Victoria University of Wellington. I worked in litigation doing civil, family and employment law and I found that employment law often had the most direct impact on improving people’s lives so after 5 years of working in a range of litigation areas, I specialised in employment law. WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST REWARDING ABOUT YOUR ROLE/CAREER? It is always an immense privilege to support employer and employee clients through employment law situations. Employers’ businesses change by addressing issues enabling them to focus on their core business and do what they were passionate about. “This is similar to the law, people do not want the fancy legal opinions and case law references. Yes, they want to know you know your stuff but what they really want is answers and solutions. They want to feel heard (like children) and they want support when they need it (again like children).” – Caro Rieger { 20 } December 2022 December 2022 { 20 }
Employees’ lives change, often you are contacted during one of the worst times in people’s lives being the person they trust to help them through that is hugely rewarding. I especially love the email, text or phone call 6 months later saying that they are the happiest they have ever been, and they are grateful for the help that we provided during that stressful time. I get these messages from employers and employees. DO YOU FIND WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS OR EMPLOYEES MORE REWARDING? I find the reward the same but for different reasons. People do not engage a lawyer unless they feel they need to. Employers often get a bad rep. The vast majority of employers are really trying to do the right thing, but they feel for the viability of their business they need to make some hard decisions. That can be addressing poor performance or misconduct or undertaking a restructure. I find developing processes and supporting employers to do this in a mana enhancing and people centric way incredibly satisfying. I also find it rewarding to support employees to ensure that their employer is complying with their minimum obligations. WHAT MAKES BLACK DOOR LAW DIFFERENT TO OTHER LAW FIRMS? The personal touch. Often firms talk about the quality of their advice etc. That to me should be a given, when you engage a professional you should not have to guess whether the advice you are getting is quality. So we focus on people, our clients, their whānau, the people employers’ processes impact, the employee who is going through the process, and also our team. HOW WILL SUCH A SMALL TEAM BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES AND PROBLEMS RAISED FROM ECC MEMBERS? Not to toot my own horn, but we know our stuff! We are true employment law specialists. You know that when you are talking to a Black Door Law lawyer that we deal with employment law all day. Many larger firms may have more people but that does not mean they have more employment lawyers. ECC members talking to our team are talking to self-professed employment law geeks who are wanting the best outcome for you and your centre. WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE FOR YOURSELF AND/OR BLACK DOOR LAW IN 2023? Professionally, I will be completing an international accreditation as a workplace investigator. Personally, I am hoping to have a lovely family holiday with my family in the term 2 school holidays in a warm location and exploring more of New Zealand with my family throughout the year. For the firm, we are looking forward to solidifying the partnership with ECC and supporting as many members as possible through the helpline and the preferred supplier membership benefits. We know that the sector has a lot happening and the impact on people working in the sector needs to be balanced with the viability of many centres. These are tricky questions centres are having to ask and we are looking forward to helping them with the answers. December 2022 { 21 } Helpline Phone Number 0800 742 742 (Option 4) Level 9, The Bayleys Building, 36 Brandon Street, Wellington 6011 blackdoorlaw.co.nz December 2022 { 21 }
Juice Technologies, the group behind New Zealand’s most widely installed childcare software providers Infocare and APT as well as Australian cloud-based software solution Kidsoft, has created three new group-level roles to oversee their stable of ECE solutions, and further strengthen their New Zealand commitment. After being at the helm of Kidsoft and over a decade of leadership within the sector, Kiwi Di Girvin has been appointed Group CEO. Two other long-time leaders within the sector, Adrian Karzon and Infocare founder Iain Graham have been appointed Group CTO and Group Business Development Manager respectively. Together Infocare, APT and Kidsoft have more than 60 years’ experience servicing the early childhood education and care sector across ANZ, with all three products having been created by childcare experts who understand the needs of the sector from the inside out. The new group roles will allow for greater sharing of innovation and knowledge across the Australian and New Zealand markets, which will directly benefit New Zealand services, and further establishes Juice Technologies as a powerhouse in the early childhood education software space. CEO Di Girvin says “With three powerhouses of the Australian and New Zealand childcare software market within our portfolio, Juice Technologies are able to offer even more customer support, innovation, and partner solutions to our more than 5,000 customers. Both the Australian and New Zealand markets are doing some incredibly exciting things in the early childhood education software Juice Technologies strengthens New Zealand Early Education Sector Commitment Di Girvin, CEO Juice Technologies space and we are excited to continue sharing these learnings across our multiple businesses and thus positively impacting even more ECE services. Our roadmap for 2023 sees an exiting array of digital solutions on the horizon that will further enhance the efficiencies of services in New Zealand.” December 2022 { 22 }
About Juice Technologies Since 2018, JUICE Technologies has successfully acquired 3 leading childcare software systems across Australia and New Zealand that service over 5,000 kindergarten, Childcare, long day care and after school services. About APT APT Is used to administer over 1400 MoE licensed services. Initially developed in the early 1990’s as a DOS application for a small section of the sector that used PC’s. APT was Re-engineered in 1999 for Windows and now available as a desktop/network or cloud based program with the software covering all aspects of day to day childcare administration. www.aptchildcare.co.nz About Infocare Infocare is New Zealand’s most widely installed childcare software with solutions that genuinely improve childcare centres operations. Since 2003 Infocare Solutions has provided New Zealand’s childcare services with childcare management software that genuinely transform childcare centre operations. Developed by childcare people for childcare people , the software solves everything from reporting, billing, funding and much more. Innovative add-ons and Partner Solutions provide opportunities toto gain potentially lost revenue, create new opportunities and create better relationships with families of children. www.infocaresolutions.co.nz About Kidsoft Kidsoft is a cloud-based Childcare Management Software CCS solution, with a range of integrated features that enable childcare centres to effectively manage their operational and administrative tasks on a day by day basis in a seamless cohesive manner. Managing everything from enrolments, bookings, attendance, family communication and secure payments. Australian owned and operated Kidsoft is a family business with 27 years Industry experience and Head Offices on the Gold Coast, and representation across the east coast of Australia with team members in NSW and VIC. www.kidsoft.com.au For more information please contact: Di Girvin: di@maatcollective.com.au December 2022 { 23 }
What is ventilation, and how does it work? What are the regulations that support ventilation? How can I improve the ventilation in my centre? You will find answers to these questions and more in this article. Ventilation is simply the flow of fresh air into a room and stale air out of that room. Good ventilation is a crucial tool to ensure good indoor air quality (how fresh the indoor air is) and thermal comfort (how comfortable a room feels). Research has repeatedly shown that poor ventilation leads to short-term and long-term health issues (Wargocki et al., 2002). With children estimated to spend up to 85% of their time indoors (Lum, Jenkins, & Shimer, 2013), good indoor air quality and thermal comfort are therefore vital. Younger children are also more vulnerable than adults to indoor environmental effects. This is due to their faster breathing rates and their larger lungs in proportion to their body sizes as well as their rapid growth and undeveloped bodies including their immune systems, eyes and ears (Bennett, Zeman, & Jarabek, 2008; Fuentes-Leonarte, Ballester, & Tenias, 2009; Tomita, Shichida, Takeshita, & Takashima, 1989). So how do we get the air moving in a centre? There are two ways – mechanically, using Ventilation – a hot topic By Phil and Tiffany Smith, Smith Architects Gaia (Earth) Forest Preschool NZ. Photography by Tessa Chrisp mechanical ventilation systems or naturally, using the building itself to naturally ventilate the building by opening windows and doors. creating cross ventilation as it moves across the room. Other building techniques that encourage airflow through a building and between rooms is a 25-50mm gap between the floor and the bottom of all internal doors (called an undercut) and using barn-styled doors between rooms so that the top half may be left open while keeping the children in the room. In New Zealand, The New Zealand Building Code G4 Ventilation defines the minimum and only legal requirements that a building must comply with. With most Early Learning Centres being naturally ventilated, a centre only needs to have “a net openable area of windows or other openings to the outside of no less than 5% of the floor area”. While this regulation considers room size, it does not consider room depth nor how much you can open that window. Therefore, if you have a deep room or windows that can only open a small way, consider installing a CO2 sensor to check that the air at the back of your room is being refreshed. If CO2 is building up at the back of the room, you may also find that the room has poor natural daylight. If this is the case, there are now openable skylights available from Velux that have built-in CO2 sensors which open When using mechanical ventilation systems, it is critical that they are cleaned and serviced annually and that the extract vents of the system are regularly checked to ensure they are free of the dust and fur that grows on them. Natural ventilation can only happen when there is at least one opening to the outside of a room. The opening can be a door or a window. As a rule of thumb - a room will only be adequately ventilated to the back of the room if the room is no deeper than 2.5 times the height of that opening. If the room is deeper than 2.5 times the opening, then this room will ideally need to be cross ventilated; that is, an opening is needed on the opposite wall. When two openings are opposite each other in a room, fresh air is pulled through one opening and sucked out the other One thing to note is that a heat pump is NOT a ventilation system – a heat pump only heats up or cools the air already in the room. When using a heat pump, it is essential always to have a window or door ajar to allow stale air out and fresh air in. December 2022 { 24 }
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