Creators@Home - Bay of Plenty

Education institution number:
40326
Service type:
Homebased Network
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
17
Telephone:
Address:

201 Sandwich Road, St Andrews-Hamilton, Hamilton

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Creators @ Home - Bay of Plenty - 20/06/2018

1 Evaluation of Creators @ Home - Bay of Plenty

How well placed is Creators @ Home - Bay of Plenty to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Creators @ Home - Bay of Plenty is part of a national organisation that owns a range of early learning services. This network is based in Taupo. It provides three models of support; ‘At Home’, where educarers care for children in private homes, ‘Awhi', for caregivers of children up lifted from their families by Oranga Tamariki, and ‘Awhi Whānau', for whānau caring for the children of family members. Approximately half of the children in this network are supported through the 'Awhi' model. The service receives standard funding from the Ministry of Education and is licensed for up to 80 children from birth to school age. The current roll of 56 includes 32 children of Māori descent.

Educarers provide education and care programmes in homes. The visiting teacher, provides support, educational oversight and leadership for educators. Regular playgroup sessions for educarers and children are hosted by the visiting teacher. The visiting teacher is a fully qualified and registered early childhood teacher.

The organisations philosophy aims for children to be provided with loving, respectful, exciting and inviting learning environments that foster their holistic development. Four Pillars guide service operations and practices, they are: love and connection, nature play, the Reggio Emilia learning model and value-based learning.

This is the first review of this network, previously known as Footsteps. Creators Education Trust, a not for profit organisation purchased Footsteps in September 2015.

The Review Findings

The services philosophy, goals and systems effectively promote positive learning outcomes for all children. The shared vision of ‘children deserve our very best’ and the service’s philosophy are highly evident in systems and practices at all levels of the organisation. An appropriate range of regularly reviewed policies provide clear guidelines and expectations. These are underpinned by concepts of children’s rights, equity, social justice, advocacy for children and acknowledgement of Māori as tangata whenua. The strategic intent is focused on improvement includes appropriate plans, actions and resourcing.

Leaders and the visiting teacher effectively build educarers capability within the service. Relationships at all levels are based on respect, trust and reciprocity. Leaders and the visiting teacher have established a culture in which children and their whānau come first and are valued and affirmed. They are relentless advocates for quality and accessible in-home education and care for all children. Robust frameworks, processes and practices have been established for self review, professional collaboration, sharing and critique of practice. Leadership builds capability in the service to promote positive outcomes for all children and their whānau

The visiting teacher has established productive partnerships with parents, whānau, educarers and external agencies. These partnerships have been instrumental in removing barriers to a child’s full acceptance, participation and learning. Recent professional learning and development has focused on respectful practice for children up to two years of age. This emphasis has reinforced the importance of responsive care and continuity of home practices and routines for babies.

Programmes in homes are effectively designed to promote positive outcomes for individual children. The visiting teacher is knowledgeable about current theories and approaches in early childhood education and care. She uses this knowledge well to design a broad curriculum with educarers that reflects the service philosophy, values and Te Whāriki. Visiting teachers champion learning through play, care for papatuanuku and maximising children’s learning in homes and the wider community. Children experience authentic opportunities that motivate their curiosity and connect them with people, places and things of significance to them.

Assessment systems and practices promote children’s identities as successful learners. This approach reflects their interests, strengths and learning dispositions over time. Assessment information is central to curriculum planning and is shared with parents and whānau.

The visiting teacher effectively implements and models practices that promote positive learning outcomes for all children. They provide individualised support, coaching and mentoring that builds educarers knowledge and capability. Regular contact includes in-depth conversations with educarers, to help identify children’s interests and strategies to deepen children’s learning and thinking.

Key Next Steps

Agreed priorities for ongoing internal evaluation for improvement include refinement of:

  • procedures for appraisal that include targeted planning for professional learning and development for the visiting teacher and educarers

  • the current focus on the services commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and bicultural practices

  • continued development of the Creators @ Home bicultural curriculum and practices that more specifically reflect Māori perspectives, and practices that acknowledge and build on Māori children’s cultural capital.

In addition, an important consideration for the service is to create opportunities for parents and whānau to contribute to the service’s strategic direction and the development of a localised curriculum.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Creators @ Home - Bay of Plenty 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Creators @ Home - Bay of Plenty will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

20 June 2018

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

Location

Taupō/Rotorua

Ministry of Education profile number

40326

Institution type

Homebased Network

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

80 children, including up to 80 aged under 2

Service roll

56

Standard or Quality Funded

Standard

Gender composition

Boys 35 Girls 21

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other

32
20
4

Number of qualified coordinators in the network

1

Required ratios of staff educators to children

Under 2

1:2

Over 2

1:4

Review team on site

May 2018

Date of this report

20 June 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

March 2011

(reviewed as Footsteps Education - Bay of Plenty)

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 and Next Review

The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

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.

Footsteps Education - Bay of Plenty - 22/03/2011

1 The Education Review Office (ERO) Evaluation

Footsteps Education Ltd is a privately owned and operated national home-based care service, with its head office in Tauranga. The service was previously known as Linmark and has been under new ownership and management since 2008. It caters for children up to the age of five years and includes children under the guardianship of Child, Youth and Families Services (CYFS). At the time of this review the Waikato chartered network 40326, employed 24 caregivers. There are 34 children under their care, and 16 are of Māori descent. This is the first review for this charter.

The national organisation has established a planned centralised approach to the service’s development and operations. Further development of the service’s vision should enhance the service’s strategic direction and plan. Footsteps management has recently developed an action plan to monitor health and safety matters in caregiver homes.

The Waikato chartered network is overseen by a professional services director who supports all professional staff. The regional leader, together with kaiako (registered early childhood teachers) has recently implemented goals to improve all aspects of the quality of education and care for young children in home-based care.

Kaiako visit a wide range of caregiver homes and model early childhood educational practices that engage young children. Interactions with babies and toddlers are nurturing, affirming and respectful. In some homes caregivers used te reo Māori in children’s learning journals, and kaiako use affirming comments in their notes to assist caregivers.

Future Action

ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO will review the service again within three years.

2 Review Priorities

The Focus of the Review

Before the review, the management of Footsteps Education Ltd was invited to consider its priorities for review using guidelines and resources provided by ERO. ERO also used documentation provided by Footsteps Education Ltd to contribute to the scope of the review.

The detailed priorities for review were then determined following a discussion between the ERO review team and the management and staff. This discussion focused on existing information held by the service (including self-review information) and the extent to which potential issues for review contributed to positive outcomes for children atFootsteps Education Ltd.

All ERO education reviews in early childhood focus on the quality of education. For ERO this includes the quality of:

  • the programme provided for children;
  • the learning environment; and
  • the interactions between children and adults.

ERO’s findings in these areas are set out below.

The Quality of Education

Background

Footsteps Education Ltd. 40326 is a chartered service established in 2008 in the Waikato region. The service provides home-based education for children, including children under the guardianship of Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS). The recently appointed regional leader is a provisionally registered early childhood teacher, has overall responsibility for the operation of the network and reports to the umbrella organisation. Two provisionally registered early childhood teachers (kaiako) provide support and guidance for caregivers in the education and care of young children. This is the first education review for this charter. Four caregiver homes were visited during this review.

Areas of good performance

Governance and management: The directors and management team have developed effective management systems to support service operations and professional practice. They provide clear expectations and guidelines for regional leaders, kaiako and caregivers through comprehensive documentation and open communication. A robust appraisal process provides staff with effective professional guidance. A particular strength of management is the effective use made of external specialists to guide and inform the development and improvement of the service.

Interactions: Positive, caring and responsive interactions are evident between children, caregivers and kaiako. Children are settled in their home environments, play confidently alongside caregivers, and receive affection and nurture from them.

Kaiako effectively model good practice and skilfully include useful information in their conversations to support and develop caregivers’ understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They effectively encourage interactions for learning and build on the emerging strengths and interests of children.

Programme implementation: Dedicated caregivers use a range of learning experiences that are responsive to children’s cultural heritage. They provide interesting and meaningful opportunities that build on children’s identified interests and support children’s developing literacy and mathematics concepts. Some children attend early childhood centres.

Kaiako and caregivers provide for learning and record aspects of children’s emerging interests in learning journey books. These books provide a record of children’s participation in activities during their time in care. Kaiako visit notes provide high quality evidence of children’s progress and development.

Learning environments: Children receive good quality care and enjoy a variety of age-appropriate resources in both indoor and outdoor settings that encourage them to make choices, explore and persist in their play. There are examples of outdoor settings that provide children with physical challenge and links to the natural world. In some homes, caregivers provide a range of literacy resources that includes books written in te reo Māori. Caregivers’ homes provide children with environments that contribute to their wellbeing and development.

Agreed area for development and review

Strategic planning and self review: There is a need to strengthen the documentation link between review practices and strategic planning. Particular attention should be given to:

  • documenting the linking of strategic goals to the appraisal process and professional development;
  • improving the durability of children’s learning journals/portfolio files to make them more accessible and visible;
  • reviewing the use and purpose of resources; and
  • improving quality assurance, in particular the standard of health and safety in caregivers’ homes.

Attention to these aspects should enable the service to effectively monitor progress.

3 National Evaluation Topic

Overview

ERO provides information about the education system as a whole through its national reports. This information will be used as the basis for long term and systemic educational improvement.

Partnerships with whānau of Māori children in early childhood services

As part of this review ERO evaluated the extent to which:

  • this service understands and values the identity, language and culture of Māori children and their whānau, particularly when the child and whānau transition to the service;
  • managers and educators have built relationships with whānau of Māori children; and
  • this service works in partnership with whānau of Māori children.

Background

An outcome of a review in 2009 on staff capability and understanding is the bicultural initiative Ara Poutama. This was developed in consultation with local iwi and is designed to build staff understanding in te reo and tikanga Maori. The service has been implementing identified aspects of this review.

Areas of strength

Biculturalism: Regional leaders and staff demonstrate a willingness to strengthen bicultural perspectives across the service. Aspects of Māori culture are visible and valued at many levels of operations. Māori children are cared for in homes that reflect and value whanaugatanga. In some homes, caregivers used te reo Māori in children’s learning journals and kaiako contribute notes to assist caregivers.

Relationships and interactions are welcoming and positive for Māori children and their whānau. Kanohi ki te kanohi conversations are highly valued and form an important part of the way information is shared between kaiako and caregivers. Learning stories by kaiako are well written and in some cases te reo Māori phrases are used in their reports about children.

Area for development and review

Implementing Ara Poutama: The regional leaders and kaiako have identified the need for ongoing professional development and support for staff in the use of te reo and tikanga Māori and its implementation in planning, assessment and evaluation.

4 Assurance on Compliance Areas

Overview

Before the review, the management and staff of Footsteps Education Ltd completed an ERO Home-Based CareManagement Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they have attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

  • administration;
  • health, safety and welfare;
  • personnel management; and
  • financial and property management.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on outcomes for children:

  • emotional safety (including behaviour management, prevention of bullying and abuse);
  • physical safety (including behaviour management, sleeping and supervision practices; accidents and medication; hygiene and routines; travel and excursion policies and procedures);
  • staff qualifications and organisation; and
  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

5 Recommendation

ERO and the service arranger agreed that:

  • leaders document the link between review recommendations and strategic goals.

6 Future Action

ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO will review the service again within three years.

Richard Thornton

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region

About the Service

Licence type

Home-Based Care

Chartered under

Education (Home-based Care) Order 1992

Roll number

34

Gender composition

Girls 19 Boys 15

Ethnic composition

New Zealand Māori 16

New Zealand European/Pākehā 11

Other 7

Review team onsite

February 2011

Date of this report

22 March 2011

Previous ERO report

This is the first report for this service.

22 March 2011

To the Parents and Community of Footsteps Education Ltd

These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Footsteps Education Ltd (40326).

Footsteps Education Ltd is a privately owned and operated national home-based care service, with its head office in Tauranga. The service was previously known as Linmark and has been under new ownership and management since 2008. It caters for children up to the age of five years and includes children under the guardianship of Child, Youth and Families Services (CYFS). At the time of this review the Waikato chartered network 40326, employed 24 caregivers. There are 34 children under their care, and 16 are of Māori descent. This is the first review for this charter.

The national organisation has established a planned centralised approach to the service’s development and operations. Further development of the service’s vision should enhance the service’s strategic direction and plan. Footsteps management has recently developed an action plan to monitor health and safety matters in caregiver homes.

The Waikato chartered network is overseen by a professional services director who supports all professional staff. The regional leader, together with kaiako (registered early childhood teachers) has recently implemented goals to improve all aspects of the quality of education and care for young children in home-based care.

Kaiako visit a wide range of caregiver homes and model early childhood educational practices that engage young children. Interactions with babies and toddlers are nurturing, affirming and respectful. In some homes caregivers used te reo Māori in children’s learning journals, and kaiako use affirming comments in their notes to assist caregivers.

Future Action

ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO will review the service again within three years.

When ERO has reviewed an early childhood service we encourage management to inform their community of any follow up action they plan to take. You should talk to the management if you have any questions about this evaluation, the full ERO report or their future intentions.

If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the service or see the ERO website, www.ero.govt.nz.

Richard Thornton

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT REVIEWS

About ERO

ERO is an independent, external evaluation agency that undertakes reviews of schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.

About ERO Reviews

ERO follows a set of standard procedures to conduct reviews. The purpose of each review is to:

  • improve quality of education for children in early childhood services; and
  • provide information to parents, communities and the Government.

Reviews are intended to focus on outcomes for children and build on each service’s self review.

Review Focus

ERO’s framework for reviewing and reporting is based on four review strands.

Quality of Education – including the quality of the programme provided for children, the quality of the learning environment and the quality of the interactions between staff and children and how these impact on outcomes for children.

Additional Review Priorities – other aspects of the operation of a service, may be included in the review. ERO will not include this strand in all reviews.

National Evaluation Topics – This strand contribute to the development of education policies and their effective implementation. The information from this strand is aggregated by ERO for its national evaluation reports. Topics for investigation are changed regularly to provide up-to-date information.

Compliance with Legal Requirements – assurance that this service has taken all reasonable steps to meet legal requirements.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of service performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to this service.

Review Recommendations

Most ERO reports include recommendations for improvement. A recommendation on a particular issue does not necessarily mean that a service is performing poorly in relation to that issue. There is no direct link between the number of recommendations in this report and the overall performance of this service.