Home Grown Kids

1 Evaluation of Home Grown Kids

How well placed is Home Grown Kids 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

Home Grown Kids is located in Tauranga and is licensed to provide home-based education and care for 80 children, including up to 40 under the age of two years. The current roll of 35 includes 26 children who identify as Māori.

Since the previous ERO review in 2015 there has been a change in name and ownership of the service. This network was previously named Home Based Childcare (HBC) and was based in Whakatane, operating under a standard licence. Since 2015, three home-based childcare businesses, including HBC, amalgamated and now all operate under the Edubase umbrella organisation as Home Grown Kids. Two directors are supported by a recently appointed chief executive officer, and a senior leadership team.

A fully-qualified and registered visiting teacher supports the in-home educators, many of whom are qualified teachers. The network now operates under a quality licence, meaning educators have a recognised qualification. The geographical area of the network includes educators based in Ōpotiki, Rotorua and Tauranga.

Through their recently reviewed philosophy, leaders and educators aim to provide a quality, home environment where children learn in mixed-age groups are supported by respectful relationships. Play- based programmes are underpinned by a broad curriculum that empowers children to learn and grow.

Educators are supported to keep up-to-date with current theory and practice and are committed to providing a diverse curriculum that is inclusive of children's cultural identity, heritage and language.

The service has a positive reporting history with ERO and has responded positively to the areas for improvement identified in the 2015 ERO report. Assessment is now available online and a new appraisal process has been developed.

The Review Findings

The curriculum is responsive to individual children’s interests, strengths and dispositions. A wide range of experiences and activities are provided within educators' homes and strengthened by experiences in the wider local community. Playgroups are accessible for some educators and some children also experience learning in larger groups at local music and physical exercise sessions. Children develop a sense of belonging within a small group setting where their care and educational needs are well met.

Children's learning is celebrated and affirmed. Goal setting and summaries of learning are clearly documented and rich, narrative stories and video records build a picture of each child as a successful learner. A next step for the service is to include all children's language, culture and identity in assessment processes and consider how to capture parent and child aspirations and voices more consistently. Continuity of learning is evident as children benefit from having their interests, strengths and dispositions for learning celebrated and affirmed.

Examples of how Māori children are well supported to achieve success as Māori are evident. Learning in educators' homes is enriched by community experiences and by some educators providing culturally responsive teaching practices. Leaders are considering how to replicate this high level practices to further respond to all Māori children across the wider network. This will support the enactment of the service's vision and philosophy for Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and support all children to know and understand te ao Māori, and New Zealand's bicultural heritage.

Respectful and responsive relationships are contributing to positive learning outcomes for all children. The service carefully matches children and their families to suitable educators. Inclusive practice by educators support children with diverse learning needs. Children up to the age of two years are able to form secure attachments with a trusted adult and their care needs are individualised. Children are viewed as confident and competent learners.

An intentional approach by leaders is building capability at all levels. Leaders have successfully focused on relationship building during a time of change within the organisation. Collaborative ways of working are being developed. Ongoing mentoring and planned external professional learning are building and supporting professional practice at all levels of the organisation. This approach is supporting leaders to realise the intent of the philosophy.

Children are at the heart of decision making. The promotion of positive outcomes for children is central to the service's policies, practices and decision-making processes. Change management processes are carefully managed. A recent focus on greater continuity across operational guidelines has contributed to clear expectations and consistency of practice.

Internal evaluation is leading to positive changes across the service. Systems and processes have been reviewed and a comprehensive range of policies guide procedures and practice. A new appraisal process has recently been developed for the visiting teacher. Teaching as inquiry has been introduced and is supported by an external facilitator. This system now needs time to be fully implemented. An annual plan is currently guiding operations through the transition period. Management agree that a longer term strategic plan will be an important next step for the service.

Key Next Steps

The next steps for Home Grown Kids are to:

• develop long term strategic planning to reflect the new business structure and support the vision/philosophy to be enacted

• consider ways to further capture all children's language, culture and identity and parents aspirations in assessment and planning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Home Grown Kids 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 Home Grown Kids will be in three years.

Adrienne Fowler

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

14 November 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		Tauranga
Ministry of Education profile number		45240
Institution type		Homebased Network
Licensed under		Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for		80 children, including up to 40 aged under 2
Service roll		35
Standard or Quality Funded		Quality
Gender composition		Girls 18 Boys 17
Ethnic composition		Māori Pākehā Other	26 7 2
Number of qualified coordinators in the network		1
Required ratios of staff educators to children	Under 2	1:2 Better than minimum requirements
	Over 2	1:4 Better than minimum requirements
Review team on site		October 2018
Date of this report		14 November 2018
Most recent ERO report(s)		Education Review	October 2015
		Education Review	October 2012

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.

1 Evaluation of HBC - Home Based Childcare

How well placed is HBC - Home Based Childcare 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

HBC - Home Based Childcare is located in Whakatane. It is licensed to provide home-based education and care for up to 80 children from birth to school age. Children are placed in family homes with one educator, who can have up to four children at any one time.

The service is managed by two directors, one of whom is also a coordinator. The quality of education and care is overseen by two coordinators, who are experienced, qualified and registered teachers. Their role is to regularly visit children in educators' homes, and provide leadership that promotes children's wellbeing and learning.

The service provides flexible part-time and full-time hours to respond to the needs of families. Children and educators have regular social and educational contact with others. They are able to participate in a community playgroup, a music programme, gymnastics and other outings and events in the local community. Children can also attend other early childhood services.

The service has a positive reporting history with ERO. Since the last ERO review in 2012, staffing has remained consistent and educators have remained with the organisation. Directors and coordinators have made positive changes to address the areas for development in the last ERO report, which included a review of the service philosophy and values.

Coordinators have continued to access relevant professional development to keep up-to-date with current research in early childhood education. Educators are offered training to improve their knowledge of how children learn. A unique feature of the service is the significant number of educators who are qualified and registered teachers.

In consultation with educators and families, the service has developed a vision that defines their values of quality education and care in the service. It is founded on the aspirations for children from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The service believes in supporting children to grow as competent and confident learners, by providing a quality home based service for its community that meets the needs of parents/whānau diverse cultures and the wider community.

The Review Findings

Directors and coordinators are committed to providing an inclusive early childhood education where all children's participation is welcomed and their diverse abilities, interests, and strengths are embraced. Through professional development, they have further enhanced their understanding of ways to be culturally responsive to Māori children's culture, language and identity.

Educators are supported by coordinators to implement Te Whāriki. Children experience a rich variety of curriculum experiences in the educators' homes and the local community setting. Educators include children in their family life and everyday experiences. Involvement in spontaneous and planned outings ensures children are learning in interesting and meaningful contexts.

Children benefit from the high level of support provided to educators by experienced and knowledgeable coordinators. The service prioritises and values respectful and trusting relationships among all members of the service. Coordinators support educators' professional practice in the following ways:

• they model effective teaching strategies and interactions for learning. Coordinators visit children in the home, participate in community playgroups organised by the service, and encourage educators to use the community environment to provide authentic learning opportunities
• encouraging educators to reflect on their practice through regular documented feedback, by providing readings to develop understanding about how children learn, and by setting goals for ongoing professional learning
• offering educational resources and equipment to further extend children's learning.

The service acknowledges parents as the first educators of their children. It empowers educators to respond to the aspirations of parents and to involve families in the educational programme. Coordinators keep parents well informed about children's experiences in home-based care and share learning stories with families to celebrate children's success in learning.

The service provides positive learning outcomes for children. Management has established many effective systems, process and practices to ensure health and safety legislation requirements are met. This includes providing educators with a good range of resources to ensure the services high expectations for education and care are followed. They have established systematic practices to inquire into their practice and focus on outcomes for children's wellbeing and learning.

Directors and coordinators work as a collaborative team and there is a shared understanding for the vision and future direction of the service. Educators' strengths are valued and they take on many leadership roles. Educators with expertise share their knowledge, skills and understandings through learning workshops and networking with others. One educator contributed her research about ways to support the learning of infants and toddlers, and another provided coaching in te reo Māori.

Key Next Steps

ERO, directors and coordinators agree that next steps for ongoing development are to use the service's strategic self-review processes to:

• align the appraisal process for coordinators' with the Education Council's Professional Teaching Criteria (PTC)
• develop individual on-line e-portfolios to enhance family access to children's assessments.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of HBC - Home Based Childcare 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 HBC - Home Based Childcare will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

9 October 2015

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	Whakatane, Bay of Plenty
Ministry of Education profile number	45240
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	105
Standard or Quality Funded	Standard
Gender composition	Girls 56 Boys 49
Ethnic composition	Māori Pākehā Asian Indian Other	51 46 2 2 4
Number of qualified coordinators in the network	2
Required ratios of staff educators to children	Under 2	1:2
	Over 2	1:4
Review team on site	September 2015
Date of this report	9 October 2015
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review	February 2012

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.