Junior Junction (St Jude)

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Junior Junction (St Jude) opened in October 2018 in a culturally diverse community. A small number of Māori children are currently enrolled, and approximately a tenth are of Pacific heritages. The service’s philosophy indicates that the role of the educator is to ensure each child is valued, respected, loved and nurtured.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is inclusive. It respects the rights of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages them to understand and respect other cultures. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The curriculum supports children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour. Information and guidance are sought, when necessary, from external agencies to enable adults providing education and care to work effectively with children and their parents.

Consistent implementation of health and safety practices is required to maintain regulatory standards.

Actions for Compliance

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following areas of non-compliance:

• Ensuring accident and incident records are analysed to identify hazards, and appropriate action is taken as part of a documented risk management system (HS12).

• Ensuring when children leave the premises on a regular or special excursion, the excursion is approved by the person responsible, and their signature is included on the excursion record (HS17).

• Having a written child protection policy that meets the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 (HS31).

• Ensuring every children’s worker is safety checked every three years, and checks are carried out by the employer or another person or organisation acting on their behalf (GMA7A).

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

25 July 2023

Information About the Service

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

• having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation

• previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’

• that has moved from a provisional to a full licence

• that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership

• where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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:

• curriculum

• premises and facilities

• health and safety practices

• governance, management and administration.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulatory standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)

• relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

• discussions with those involved in the service

• consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems

• observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.