Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre

Education institution number:
20472
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
24
Telephone:
Address:

141 Universal Drive, Henderson, Auckland

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Babies and Buddies Early Childhood Centre

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

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Not meeting

Governance, management and administration

Not meeting

At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.

Background

Babies and Buddies Early Childhood Centre is a well-established service, which provides education and care within learning spaces for different age groups of children. The service has been owned and managed by the same director for over 16 years. She is supported by a teaching team, most of whom were present during the last review. At the time of the review, almost half of the children enrolled were of Māori or Pacific ethnicities.

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience a curriculum which is consistent with Te Whāriki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum. It is informed by assessment, planning and evaluation that demonstrate an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau, and life contexts. The curriculum is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions that nurture reciprocal relationships.

Stronger systems and processes need to be developed and implemented to ensure the requirements of the regulatory standards are being maintained.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

  • the premises being located in a building that has a current fire evacuation scheme approved by Fire and Emergency New Zealand

  • maintaining a record of emergency drills for all emergency situations relevant to the service, and evidence of how evaluation of these drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan

  • having a procedure for monitoring children’s sleep which ensures children do not have access to food and liquids while in bed; and records of sleep checks made by adults every 5 to 10 minutes

  • implementing hazard checking which contains all considerations of the licensing criteria and accident/incident analysis which ensures that all hazards to the safety of children are eliminated, isolated or minimised

  • maintaining excursion records that include the full documentation requirements of the licensing criteria

  • having a record of all medicine which meets its category requirements and includes evidence of parental permission and acknowledgement

  • ensuring adults who administer medication to children are provided with information and/or training relevant to the task

  • ensuring where there is a serious injury, illness or incident involving a child while at the service that is required to be notified to a specified agency, the service provider must also notify the Ministry of Education

  • providing information for parents which informs them of the amount and details of the expenditure of any Ministry of Education funding received by the service

  • maintaining a written procedure for safety checking all children’s workers in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014, and a record for all safety checks and the results.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, (HS4, HS8, HS9, HS12, HS17, HS28, HS29, HS34, GMA3, GMA7A)]

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

  • Documenting a procedure for the hygienic laundering of linen (HS2).

  • Having a written emergency plan that includes all the requirements of the licensing criteria and evidence of review of the plan on at least an annual basis (HS7).

  • Having a process for ensuring that water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60 °C (HS14).

  • Maintaining a record of all food served during the service’s hours of operation which shows the type of food provided and which covers at least the last three months (HS19).

  • Implementing a system for ensuring that rooms used by children are kept at a comfortable temperature of no lower than 18 degrees Celsius (HS24).

  • Having a written complaints procedure which includes the option to contact the local Ministry of Education office and provides contact details (GMA1).

  • Providing opportunities for parents to contribute to the development and review of the service’s operational documents (GMA4).

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
5 December 2022 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Babies and Buddies Early Childhood Centre

Profile Number

20472

Location

Henderson, Auckland

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

28

Review team on site

November 2022

Date of this report

15 December 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, May 2018; Education Review, June 2014

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.

Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre - 04/05/2018

1 Evaluation of Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre

How well placed is Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre 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

Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre in Henderson is licensed for 30 children including up to 10 children under two years of age. The centre is well established and operates in a renovated house. The roll comprises mainly Pākehā children. Māori children make up 20 percent of the roll and there are a few children from other cultural backgrounds. The majority of families who use the service live outside of the immediate local area.

The centre is organised into two main learning spaces. The Teina area caters for infants and toddlers and the Tuakana space for older children. Both areas have their own outdoor environments. The centre provides children with healthy and nutritious meals. Older and younger children have many opportunities to play together and also come together for meal times.

The centre has been owned and managed by the same director for 12 years. All teachers are qualified and most have worked at the centre for a number of years.

The centre's philosophy promotes positive and respectful relationships with children and families. It encourages an emergent curriculum with a balance of teacher and child-led learning. The 2014 ERO report identified many areas of good practice that continue to be evident, and all next steps noted have been very well progressed.

Since 2014, an extension has been completed for the infants and toddler indoor space. A new central covered area connects both indoor spaces and provides an all-weather play environment. There are plans to further upgrade the Teina outdoor area.

The Review Findings

Teachers enact a culturally responsive ethos and use practices that work very well for Māori and Pacific, and for all other children and whānau. They are welcoming and inclusive, and create positive relationships with children and their families. Teachers gather regular information from parents and use it to design and evaluate learning programmes, including the centre's bicultural curriculum. As a result, the needs and preferences of children and whānau are responded to. Children and whānau have a strong sense of belonging in the centre.

Children play and learn within a culture of care and kindness. Babies and toddlers experience gentle, affectionate and nurturing approaches from their teachers. Teachers' very good use of transition and settling practices contribute to children being comfortable with and trusting of teachers. They work with parents to follow children's home routines, respond very well to their individual cues, and capably support them to explore their learning environment.

Older children are respected by their teachers as capable, competent learners and leaders. Their contributions are valued and evident throughout the learning programme. Teachers skilfully guide and mediate children's play and learning, prompting, supporting and extending children's thinking at appropriate moments. They promote literacy, numeracy, science and creativity in the context of children's play, and create an environment where it is safe for children and adults to take learning risks.

Learning environments are well resourced, and resources are open-ended and accessible to children. Older children participate in a very well designed school readiness programme that is planned around children's interests and dispositions, and encourages inquiry and critical thinking. It also appropriately supports children's self-management skills. Excursions extend children's learning and encourage them to be kaitiaki of their local environment and community.

Internal evaluation is very well understood as a tool for ongoing improvement. This good practice includes regular and significant evaluation of the centre philosophy. A meaningful inquiry-focused appraisal process, alongside generous professional learning opportunities, maintains and further improves teachers' skills.

The centre is very well led and governed. The centre director makes carefully considered teacher appointments and respects teachers as valued professionals. Teachers work and lead collaboratively and engage in the strategic planning process as a shared, team experience. As a result, staff morale is high and positive outcomes for children continue to improve.

Key Next Steps

The centre is very well placed to sustain and further improve practices. Next steps for the centre include refining the centre's strategic planning model, and aligning teachers' professional learning and appraisal with the centre's strategic goals.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Babies & Buddies Early Childhood 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:

  • 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 Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre will be in four years.

Julie Foley

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

4 May 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 Early Childhood Service

Location

Henderson, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

20472

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

33

Gender composition

Boys 17 Girls 16

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
other

7
23
3

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:7

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

January 2018

Date of this report

4 May 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

June 2014

Education Review

April 2011

Education Review

April 2008

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 ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.

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.

Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre - 04/06/2014

1 Evaluation of Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre

How well placed is Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre 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

Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre, in Henderson, Auckland, is a small privately owned centre providing full day education and care for 26 children from birth to school age.

The learning opportunities the centre provides reflect the centre philosophy of valuing children’s play. Teachers encourage children to initiate their own play and help them to become independent problem solvers and good communicators.

Children spend most of their time in age-related areas of the centre. Younger children move into the older group when they are about two years old. A head teacher oversees each group and all teachers are encouraged to take leadership roles. All teachers at the centre are qualified.

The 2011 ERO report commented positively on the quality of the education programme and the care given to children. This good quality provision continues.

The Review Findings

Children confidently explore their environment and initiate their own play with the support and encouragement of the teachers. They enjoy creating and problem solving, and accessing a wide range of resources. Excursions outside the centre extend children’s and families experiences and sometimes provide a focus for ongoing learning.

Teachers work alongside children, listening to their conversations and responding with suggestions and questions to maximise learning. They help children access equipment to support their play. Teachers’ respect for children is reflected in the positive ways the children interact with each other.

Teachers ensure that the environment encourages children to experiment and explore. They support and encourage learning in literacy, numeracy and science. Teachers’ careful observations of children guide how they plan the programme and organise the learning environment.

Children under two years of age are well cared for and teachers have good systems for communicating with parents about their child’s day. Children are able to follow their individual sleeping and feeding routines. Teachers provide strong support for language development. They support infant and toddlers well as they explore the environment.

Teachers have improved their knowledge of te reo and tikanga Māori and share their new knowledge with children. Continued learning in this area would enable teachers to further reflect te ao Māori in the curriculum. Other professional development in the last three years has focused on communicating better with families/whānau, and planning, assessing and evaluating the educational programme.

Teachers have regular meetings to discuss children and their learning. These meetings help teachers to reflect on children’s learning and plan activities and strategies that support their interests, strengths and needs. Targeted professional development promotes ongoing improvement.

Reflective self review successfully guides ongoing improvement. Leadership is shared and teachers work collaboratively to review the effectiveness of centre operations and make changes. Performance management systems encourage teachers to review their professional practice and to make suggestions for improvements.

Key Next Steps

The centre owner is planning changes to the centre’s outdoor environment to provide all-weather play surfaces and maximise the use of the site. Building improvements are also planned.

ERO recommends that the manager and staff:

  • improve their recording of strategic planning by writing clearer goals and action plans
  • explore additional ways for involving parents in assessing children’s learning

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Babies & Buddies Early Childhood 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:

  • 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.

To improve current practice for children’s health and safety centre managers should ensure that:

  • doors are securely latched in place when left open
  • risk management of excursions is well documented
  • resources are safely stored to prevent injury in the event of an earthquake.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Babies & Buddies Early Childhood Centre will be in three years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region

4 June 2014

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 Early Childhood Service

Location

Henderson, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

20472

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

26 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

33

Gender composition

Boys 18

Girls 15

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Chinese

Samoan

Tongan

Other European

11

18

1

1

1

1

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

April 2014

Date of this report

4 June 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

April 2011

 

Education Review

April 2008

 

Education Review

April 2005

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 ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.

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.