Dunedin Hospital Great King Street, Dunedin
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Children’s Play and Recreation Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
The Children’s Play and Recreation Centre, situated within Dunedin Hospital, is a licensed early childhood service. A professional leader works with two hospital play specialists (HPS). During weekdays, the professional leader and one experienced HPS manages the service, while the other HPS works during the weekends. Daily operation of the service is overseen by the clinical nurse in charge.
Children freely participate in their chosen play experiences. HPS foster social interactions by providing resources tailored to children’s interests. These activities promote creativity, exploration, and learning that encourages children’s independence.
Positive, individualised relationships are developed with children and their whānau, creating a supportive and engaging environment. Bedside visits offer ongoing interactions between HPS and children. This fosters responsive, reciprocal connections with parents and whānau. HPS are intentional in their use of distraction strategies to minimise stress, reduce anxiety, and help children cope with their stay in hospital.
The curriculum is based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Further development is required to assessment, planning, and evaluation processes to incorporate the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki.
The use of te reo Māori and inclusion of tikanga Māori is limited within the service. Leaders and specialists have identified that this as an area of ongoing improvement.
Leaders have created a supportive environment that encourages HPS to extend their knowledge and expertise through professional learning and development (PLD). Evaluating the impact of PLD undertaken will help to identify whether changes in professional practice have made a difference for children’s learning.
Internal evaluation is in the early stages of development. Processes for HPS appraisal and a professional growth cycle have been developed. HPS are continuing to build relational trust to enable collaboration.It is timely for service leaders to prioritise:
Children’s Play and Recreation Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Children’s Play and Recreation Centre completed an ERO 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:
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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
22 July 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Children’s Play and Recreation Centre |
| Profile Number | 83068 |
| Location | Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin |
| Service type | Hospital-based service |
| Number licensed for | 10 children, including up to 6 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 100% |
| Service roll | Notional roll |
| Review team on site | May 2024 |
| Date of this report | 22 July 2024 |
Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, May 2019; Education Review, May 2016 |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Children's Play and Recreation Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
The Children's Play and Recreation Centre is a licensed early childhood service in Dunedin Hospital. Its overall aim is to provide a safe and secure learning environment for children while they are in hospital. The playroom is open to children and parents 24 hours a day.
Two full time Hospital Play Specialists (HPS) operate the service during the week. Additional staff run the service at the weekends. All staff are registered early childhood teachers. They are experienced in the HPS role and the full time teachers have gained their HPS professional qualifications. The HPS work with children and their families on the wards and in the playroom. They work closely with the health professionals within the hospital. The HPS service is part of the Women's and Children's Health service of Dunedin Hospital, Southern District Health Board and is well supported by the hospital managers.
The centre has made good progress with most of the next steps identified in the 2016 ERO report. The next steps in this report are progressions of the work achieved.
Children have safe and interesting places to play, relax and spend time with their families during their time in hospital. HPS demonstrate a strong focus on the wellbeing of children and their families. They quickly get to know the children's interests and use these contexts to respond successfully to the different needs.
HPS establish positive, reciprocal relationships with children's whānau. Meaningful plans are put in place for individual children to provide for a consistent approach across the HPS team and with parents. Continuity of learning is seen in the plans for children who are in the ward for longer periods of time. Children's languages, cultures and identities are valued and respected.
The recently developed planning approach centres on each child's wellbeing and interests. HPS then plan the strategies that will best support the intended outcomes. They could better document the impact of these strategies in the evaluation section. Appropriate links are made to the early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki (2017). Improved planning is effectively guiding HPS practice to better meet the needs of children.
The HPS are improvement focused. They are in the early stages of using a useful process to guide their internal evaluation for improvement. The strategic plan clearly sets out the development priorities for the centre. ERO's evaluation identifies that short term planning would be useful if it provided more detail of who will complete what actions within a prescribed timeframe.
Other key factors contributing to positive outcomes for children include the:
The managers, HPS and ERO agree that key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Children's Play and Recreation Centre completed an ERO Hospital-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:
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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services Southern
Southern Region
8 May 2019
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.
| Location | Dunedin | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 83068 | ||
| Licence type | Hospital Based Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for / notional roll | 10 children, including up to 6 aged under 2 | ||
| Number of hospital play specialists in the service | 2 | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:5 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:5 | Meets minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | March 2019 | ||
| Date of this report | 8 May 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | May 2016 | |
| Education Review | November 2012 | ||
| Supplementary Review | May 2009 | ||
ERO’s overarching question for a hospital-based service education review is ‘How well placed is this service to contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing?’
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 contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing
Pou Ārahi– how leadership is enacted to contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing
Mātauranga– whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing
Tikanga whakaako– how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity, contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness ofarotake– self review and ofwhanaungatanga– 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 have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service responds to children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to two years of age.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to the methodology for ERO reviews in Hospital-based Education and Care Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
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 contribute to children’s learning and wellbeing and are useful to the service.
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
The Children's Play and Recreation Centre is a licensed early childhood service for children in Dunedin Hospital. Its overall aim is to provide a safe and secure learning environment for children while they are in hospital. The playroom itself is open to children and parents 24 hours a day.
Two long-serving Hospital Play Specialists (HPS) staff the service during the week. Additional staff run the service at the weekends. All staff are registered early childhood teachers. They are experienced in the HPS role but are yet to achieve formal HPS qualifications. The HPS work with children and their families on the wards and in the playroom. They work closely with the health professionals within the hospital. The HPS service is part of the Women's and Children's Health service of Dunedin Hospital, Southern District Health Board (SDHB), and is well supported by hospital managers.
Since the 2012 ERO report, the service has moved to the new children's ward. There is a newly designed playroom with an outside play space. In addition, the specialised Snoezelen Room provides a range of beneficial sensory experiences for children and adults.
Some of the recommendations from the 2012 ERO report remain key recommendations in this review.
The HPS play a key role in helping children and their families have a smooth journey through their hospital experience. The HPS quickly make connections with families in order to put them at ease as much as possible and listen to their concerns. They find out how best to respond to the different interests and needs of the children.
The playroom offers a safe place for children and their families to play and spend time together. The HPS create a normal and enjoyable play environment by providing a wide range of familiar toys and activities for children of different ages. They make connections with children's home life, interests, and other early childhood settings and ensure children do not undergo medical procedures in the playroom.
The HPS have a range of useful strategies to reduce the stress and strangeness of children's hospital experience. For example, they get children to handle the medical equipment they will meet. Children and their families benefit from the way the HPS respond quickly to events and circumstances as they arise. Each day the HPS prioritise the children most in need of their services.
Since the 2012 ERO review, the service has placed a greater emphasis on including Māori perspectives, tikanga and te reo Māori in the programme. The HPS could now explore how to bring kaupapa Māori concepts more meaningfully into the programme.
The HPS have developed a philosophy to guide their work. The service goals and philosophy statement are stated mostly in general terms. The philosophy needs to provide stronger guidance for the HPS work. It should clearly outline the desired outcomes for children and the purposes of the HPS role within this very specialised service. It would then help guide the HPS in their work and how they document the difference they make for children's learning and wellbeing. It will also help them evaluate how well the programmes and practices are meeting the desired outcomes.
The HPS plan for and record the interventions and the experiences that they provide for children. They plan for the playroom activities, provide portfolios for children with long or frequent stays in hospital, and contribute to the children's clinical notes. The HPS now need to find ways to make their role in supporting children clearer and more visible through the documentation. They are already working on how to do this through the clinical notes.
The HPS are valued members of a multi-disciplinary team. Hospital managers have identified that they want better recognition within the hospital of the HPS role and expertise.
The HPS have links with the HPS service in Southland and through the HPS Association. Stronger links would help to support their professional practice. The SDHB has a useful appraisal model. The HPS in Dunedin and Southland are adapting it for their service. The model would be improved by including written feedback after observations, by linking the HPS competencies to the Education Council requirements for teachers and by including Tātaiako, the cultural competences for teachers of Māori learners. The appraisal goals for HPS need to be more challenging.
The hospital managers are well placed to support the HPS as they further develop their role. The managers are clear about the purpose and value of the HPS service and understand how it contributes to the wider SDHB vision. The managers and HPS should now clearly identify and monitor the implementation of long-term goals for the HPS service. For example, they could consider making it a priority that all staff attain a recognised HPS qualification.
A key next step for this service is to improve understanding and practice of internal evaluation. Internal evaluation should include all aspects of the service and progress towards the service's vision and goals. The SDHB has systems in place for internal evaluation and improvement. The HPS and managers could explore how these systems could be used in the HPS service.
The managers, HPS and ERO agree that key next steps are to:
The HPS also need to strengthen the way they plan, record and evaluate their contact with children and the experiences they provide to support children's learning and wellbeing.
Before the review, the staff and management of Children's Play and Recreation Centre completed an ERO Centre 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:
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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
The next ERO review of Children's Play and Recreation Centre will be in three years.
Chris Rowe
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)
4 May 2016
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.
| Location | Dunedin | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 83068 | ||
| Licence type | Hospital Based Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 10 children, including up to 6 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | Variable | ||
| Gender composition | Variable | ||
| Ethnic composition | Variable | ||
| Number of hospital play specialists in the service | 2 | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:5 | |
| Over 2 | 1:5 | ||
| Review team on site | February 2016 | ||
| Date of this report | 4 May 2016 | ||
| Most recent ERO reports | Education Review | November 2012 | |
| Supplementary Review | May 2009 | ||
| Education Review | April 2008 | ||
ERO’s overarching question for a hospital-based service education review is ‘How well placed is this service to contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing?’ 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 contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing
Pou Ārahi– how leadership is enacted to contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing
Mātauranga– whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing
Tikanga whakaako– how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity, contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness ofarotake– self review and ofwhanaungatanga– 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 have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service responds to 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 methodology for ERO reviews in Hospital-based Education and Care Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to contribute to children’s learning and promote their wellbeing. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
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 contribute to children’s learning and wellbeing and are useful to the service.