HOW EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTINGS HELP CHILD POVERTY

How do the government’s policies and legislations influence the pedagogical implications for practice in early childhood?

Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, and Farmer (2012) defines pedagogy as “all the actions and processes that educators use to translate philosophy and curriculum approaches into practice” (p. 235). So how are these government policies acted through by the teachers in early childhood settings?

It is important for teachers to know that poverty does effect education. NZEI National President Louise Green says that “Poverty is by far the biggest indicator and cause of children not succeeding in education” (NZEI TE RIU ROA, 2015). Children do not go to early childhood services as costs of transport, lunches and warm clothes are not affordable for some families. Guest blogger, Amanda Coulston, is the General Manager of Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens who writes “How poverty stops children making the most of early childhood education” on the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG). Coulston writes how Whānau Manaaki operates a transport scheme in order to collect children to bring them to kindergarten to encourage participation. This is one way how early childhood settings can help children in poverty in order for them to receive education. 

Early childhood education is important in reducing the effects of poverty. Evidence shows benefits from several early childhood education program models. Magnuson (2013) says that the evidence supporting the effectiveness of “high-quality, centre-based childhood education is strong” (p. 5-6). Evidence showed that modal demonstration programs reduces crime and the risk of adult poverty. Magnuson (2013) concludes her article by saying that “investing in selected early childhood interventions appears likely to be a very cost effective way to reduce poverty over the long-term” (p. 6).

We know that early childhood education is important, so how can teachers do the best for the children in poverty that come to their settings? 

• Teachers can be supportive of all families.

• If a teachers knows that a family is in poverty they can inform them discreetly about services that they may be entitled to such as working for families,or the free insulation package.

• Food can be provided at the centre through donations by local companies. I know of one setting which is supplied with apples from a local orchard and the children have apples for morning tea every day.

• Settings can also provide warm clothes, shoes and jackets if a child arrives at the setting without them.
• Equity funding provides funding to make early learning opportunities equally available to all. There are different types of funding available such as for lower socio-economic communicates and for isolation. This funding can be used for use in the setting to benefit all children. One setting I know of uses their funding to supply the setting with a chef who cooked a hot meal for the children each day. This takes the stress off families in poverty by providing the children with a healthy, hot meal. 
• Under the Vulnerable children’s Act 2014 everyone who works with children has to have a history check done. Child protection policies for staff are to be put in place in agencies who work with children. This all helps to protect vulnerable children. Teachers can support children and their families by being proactive in this area by promoting this Act. 

Throughout this blog I have discussed child poverty in New Zealand. I have shown that poverty has an impact on children’s education and life. The New Zealand government is doing its part to rid child poverty and I believe that when families use the support that is available to them, and the help of society, they can give their children many opportunities for their future.

References:

Arthur,L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2012). Programming

and planning in early childhood settings (5th ed.). Melbourne, Australia:

Cengage Learning. 

Magnuson, K. (2013, August). Reducing the effects of poverty through early childhood   interventions. Institute for Research on Poverty: Fast Focus, 17, 1-6.

NZEI TE RIU ROA. (2015). NZEI backs calls for action on child poverty. Retrieved from:             http://www.nzei.org.nz/NZEI/Media/Releases/2015/5/NZEI_backs_calls_for_action_            on_child_poverty.aspx?WebsiteKey=868aa165-3deb-46a3-bc55-5  a9fc2637ac6#.VxBDrXF96Uk