Amanda's Homebased ECE 2

1 Evaluation of Amanda's Homebased ECE 2

How well placed is Amanda's Homebased ECE 2 to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Amanda's Homebased ECE 2 is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Amanda's Homebased ECE is a long-established provider of early childhood care and education in home settings. The service's philosophy expresses a commitment to quality homebased early childhood education (ECE) underpinned by a culture of professionalism.

This network was established with the intention of increasing the participation of children of migrant and refugee families in early childhood education. It is jointly managed as one of two networks currently operating in Auckland. It provides care and education for up to 80 children in educators' homes. There are currently 49 children enrolled in the network, 25 of whom are aged under two years, and 30 educators who work under the guidance and supervision of qualified coordinators called Education Team Leaders (ETLs). Most children and educators are of African or Middle Eastern heritage.

Since the 2015 ERO report, two new ETLs have been appointed to the team. There has also been a reduction in the number of children they can be responsible for supervising. Amanda's maintains better than minimum ratio requirements in this regard. All ETLs are registered early childhood teachers. The 2015 ERO report noted that the owner and ETLs work as a team and are committed to ongoing improvement. These strengths remain evident. The report also identified next steps for the service. These included better systems for supporting ETL practice, establishing strategic self-review, updating long-term planning, and strengthening the bicultural curriculum. While good progress has been made, continued work in these areas would further benefit the organisation.

The Review Findings

The service has high regard for the health, safety and wellbeing of children in its care. ETLs and educators know children well and monitor their ongoing development and learning. ETLs complete regular safety checks of homes, and the organisation provides basic equipment such as cots, car seats and strollers, as needed. ETLs ensure that children have access to a range of activities. They also provide learning resources to supplement those provided by the educator, according to the child's interests and developmental stage.

ETLs emphasise the importance of children learning through play. They support educators to enrich children's exploration through their discussions and monthly observations of each child. ETLs also organise regular, well attended playgroups that provide good opportunities for educators and children to socialise. ETLs introduce new activities at playgroups and model how to work with children to support their learning. Children and adults demonstrate a sense of belonging and enjoyment in this environment. The developmental milestones of children aged under two years are recognised and celebrated.

Providing children with authentic experiences of their heritage language and culture in a familiar environment is a priority for many families in this community. The majority of children are placed with a family member or someone connected with the family. Many of the educators have limited English as a second or additional language. ETLs are careful to support their discussions with them through regular communication with children's parents, and where needed, with other family members in the educator's home. An online portal allows parents and whānau to see the ETL monthly reports for their children, and to add their comments and stories. This portal also allows the organisation to keep families well informed about news and upcoming events.

The service is underpinned by genuine, supportive, culturally sensitive relationships. The organisation makes good use of translators to facilitate two-way communication and understanding. It provides regular professional learning and development (PLD) opportunities for educators to support them in their role. From time-to-time the service goes beyond the provision of early childhood education to support educators and families in other areas of their lives. It is evident that educators appreciate the support they receive from the organisation.

A culture of collaboration and open discussion is a strength of the management team. Leadership is promoted throughout the organisation. Strategic planning provides a useful framework for guiding decisions and improving systems and processes. Leaders could build on these positive foundations to strengthen support for the different approaches, strengths and development areas of the two networks. This would also help the organisation to evaluate the extent to which each service delivers on the service's overarching vision.

Key Next Steps

The service owner and ETLs agree that the next steps for improving the service include:

• reviewing the philosophy in order to strengthen the guidance it provides for planning for the network, and for the ETLs and educators to work towards achieving the organisation's vision

• continuing to develop internal evaluation to promote greater depth of inquiry into practice and consideration of outcomes for children

• implementing strategies that will further support and strengthen the educators' practices, including the implementation of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and a bicultural curriculum, as well as regular written feedback about good practice and what could be improved

• continuing to strengthen appraisal for ETLs.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Amanda's Homebased ECE 2 completed an ERO Home-based Education and Care Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration.

During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)

• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)

• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)

• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region

17 April 2019

The Purpose of ERO Reports

The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.

2 Information about the Home-based Education and Care Service

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:

Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children

Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children

Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children

Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.

Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.

ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.

A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.

For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to the draft methodology for ERO reviews in Home-based Education and Care Services: July 2014

ERO’s Overall Judgement

The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

• Very well placed

• Well placed

• Requires further development

• Not well placed

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.