Option for home-based early education at serious risk

Two of New Zealand’s leading, high quality providers of home-based education are dismayed at the Government’s announcement today.

Au Pair Link CEO, Morgan Holyoake said the policy announcement by the Minister of Education that requires all home-based early childhood educators to be fully qualified will have a significant long-term negative impact on the thousands of hardworking New Zealand parents who choose to employ au pairs, as they will no longer receive support from the Government.

“Au pairs enable families, particularly families that do not work the traditional 9-5 hours, to work while juggling young children. This policy announcement by the Government simply fails to acknowledge the critical role au pairs play in enabling parents to work and raise their families as they choose, said Ms Holyoake.

“Further, the policy does not recognise that a high-quality learning environment can occur in a child’s family home with an au pair, which Au Pair Link has proven through well placed ERO reports and re-licensing by the Ministry of Education over our 12 years of operating.

Tanya Burrage, CEO of Dream Au Pair added “Both Au Pair Link and Dream Au Pair have stringent processes in place to ensure high quality home-based education is offered to their families.

“These processes are externally assessed by the Governments’ own Education Review Office (ERO) who have concluded that the children experience a good quality curriculum and are consistently engaged in educational activities.

“Au pairs give parents flexibility and choice, and they enable children to enjoy the benefits that come from being looked after and stimulated in their own home, while their parents work to provide for their families.

“On behalf of all the New Zealand families impacted by this policy announcement, we strongly urge the government to reconsider their decision.

© Scoop Media