Tamariki Takitumu Punanga Reo

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

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

Background

Tamariki Takitumu Punanga Reo is governed by a board of trustees. A teaching team of two qualified teachers and two educators is led by a qualified centre supervisor. The service focuses on preserving and promoting the Cook Islands language and culture. The service connects with other Kuki Airani Punanga Reo across Aotearoa | New Zealand.

Summary of Review Findings

Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The service curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture. Children are encouraged to understand and respect other cultures. A language-rich environment supports children’s learning. Consistent implementation of policies and procedures are required to meet all aspects of regulatory requirements. Governance and management systems, and ongoing self-review that supports improvement, are yet to be implemented consistently.

Actions for Compliance

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

• maintaining a first aid kit that complies with the requirements of Appendix 1
• having documentation to show the premises are located in a building that has a current fire evacuation scheme approved by the New Zealand Fire Service
• ensuring that, if not permanently set up, furniture or items intended for children to sleep on (such as cots, beds, stretchers, or mattresses) and bedding are hygienically stored when not in use
• ensuring accident/incident records are analysed to identify hazards and action is taken, and hazards to the safety of children are eliminated, isolated or minimised
• when children leave the premises for regular excursions, an assessment and management of risk is undertaken
• medicine records include parent acknowledgement of the medicine given
• having an ongoing process of self-review that helps the service maintain and improve the quality of its education and care and recording outcomes from the review process
• implementing suitable human resource management practices including selection and appointment procedures, a system of regular appraisal, a definition of serious misconduct and discipline/dismissal procedures
• ensuring all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF28, HS4, HS11,HS12, HS17, HS28, GMA6, GMA7, GMA7A]

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

• Having a tempering valve or other accurate means of limiting hot water temperature (PF24).
• Ensuring items intended for children to sleep on, that will be used by more than one child over time, are covered with non-porous material, which protects children from becoming soiled and allows for easy cleaning (PF30).
• Ensuring that heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured (HS6).
• Evidence of how evaluation of the drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan (HS7).
• Monitoring that the temperature of warm water delivered from taps that are accessible to children is no higher than 40°C, and comfortable for children at the centre to use (HS13).
• Ensuring that water stored in the hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C (HS14).

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.

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

25 May 2022 

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 regulated 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; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

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.