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Newsletter Contents at a Glance

1. Staffing Issue for all Early Childhood Managers and Owners to be Aware Of
2. Children with Food Allergies
3. The Government’s ECE Taskforce Report – Is it all fluff or should it be taken seriously?
4. Research Backs Dame Lesley Max on Link between Increased Child Disobedience and Aggressive Behaviour and Long Childcare
5. It’s Annual Accounts Time!
6. Is it a Disaster or a Blessing to Have Non-Qualified Teachers? ?

1.  Staffing Issue for all Early Childhood Managers and Owners to be Aware Of

Do you employ primary-trained staff?  Or are you likely to employ a teacher who is primary qualified to meet the target of having at least 80% registered teachers in 2012?  There is information you need to know now so you can consider options and don’t put your centre at risk through employment.  

* READ MORE:  80% Target and Who Counts Towards the Licensing Requirement  

2. Children with Food Allergies

Sharing a sweet treat on your birthday is great fun, but in an early childhood setting it can be more complicated than simply working out how many pieces you need to cut the cake into.  If your centre or home-based service has children who have food allergies or intolerances, what seems like some harmless baking could be a potential health risk.

* READ MORE:  Managing Food Allergies and Meeting Children’s Needs  

3.  The Government’s ECE Taskforce Report

Has it been worth the $150,000 spent on it? Is it to be taken seriously?

* READ MORE AND HAVE YOUR SAY:  ECE Taskforce Report  

4.  Research Backs Dame Lesley Max on Link between Aggression and Long Childcare

Research supports the view of Dame Lesley Max on extensive use of non-parental ECE (childcare) being linked to more aggressive behaviour in young children.  However a political lobby group for early childhood centre providers and owners, the Early Childhood Council, disputed the view of their invited conference keynote speaker at the weekend.

* READ MORE:  Aggressive Behaviour  

5. It’s Annual Accounts Time!

But can you be sure you’ve allocated the Ministry grants figures accurately?

Are you sure you’ve split them right between grants earned in the financial year, grants received for the next year, and grants still owed you for last year?

Would you like a simple worksheet that copes with two GST rates in the year, guarantees accuracy and shows the audit trail for your auditor- a real time saver and good for peace of mind?

The ChildForum Audit Ready Kit saw this coming. The Kit gives you a simple-to-enter special worksheet for this last year that guarantees you’ll get the right result and can prove it’s right.  If you have teacher support grants, are you sure you’ve reported them right and are minimising your income tax? The Kit’s Register template is easy and keeps you safe.   

Sounds like time to order the Kit?  Yes- it is!  

Click here to go to the ChildForum website for more info and to order, or contact Bevin Fitzsimons on phones 09 522 2338 or 021 528 539 or Email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Bevin can email you a full Kit contents list if you wish.

6. Is it a Disaster or a Blessing to Have Non-Qualified Teachers

We continue to hear this topic popping up in different early childhood professional and lobby group circles.  So just to remind you that there is a great discussion article available.   And we are now welcoming your views which you can add to the end of the article.

* READ MORE:  The Employment of Non-Qualified ECE Teachers in ECE Services

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The information provided by ChildForum in this newsletter is general information only.  No responsibility is taken for any errors. If you spot an error, please inform us so that it can be corrected.