Author Description

The Children's Commissioner has a statutory responsibility to be an independent advocate for children and to investigate matters affecting them. The infant and toddler age group currently has the fastest growing number of enrolments in formal non-parental early childhood services (ECS) in New Zealand. These increasing numbers warranted an inquiry into the impact on their well-being. The overall objective of this inquiry was to provide robust evidence-based information about the provision of formal ECS for under-2s, to analyse it from a child interest perspective, and to make recommendations on how it might be delivered in the best interests of infants and toddlers.