A pre-budget announcement of $88 million to address school attendance has completely ignored early learning. If the Government was serious about improving educational attendance they’d start at its foundation with more investment in early childhood education, says the Early Childhood Council.

The Early Childhood Council welcomes the extended deadline before the Early Childhood Education network management pre-licensing controls take effect, announced by Education Minister Hon Chris Hipkins today at Select Committee.

On the day free surgical masks for schools was announced, early learning providers received no new support

Early learning centres endeavouring to stay open for children through the Omicron outbreak are disappointed with the lack of access to Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs).

The Early Childhood Council is calling for ventilation support on offer for schools to be expanded to support early learning providers.