The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Participation Programme was set up in 2010, and focuses on increasing ECE participation in areas where children are not participating in quality ECE before starting school. These are largely Māori and Pasifika children, and children from low socio-economic communities. The initiatives set up under the Participation Programme contribute to achieving the Government’s Better Public Service goal that in 2016, 98% of children starting school will have participated in quality ECE.
This baseline report on the delivery of ECE participation initiatives details findings from a stage one evaluation of the programme, completed by the University of Waikato. It looks at initiatives started in 2010/2011. Further stages of the evaluation are underway.