To conclude, I feel that there is a sufficient amount of research evidence to support the issue of needing 100% qualified staff, in early childhood education and care settings. When beginning this blog I was ambivalent as to what my feelings were around centres needing qualified staffing ratios at 100%, in each ECE setting in New Zealand. Thus due to the fact that I knew little about the policies that were in place, and what the now government wanted. After a considerable amount of research and a lot of reading, I have found a majority of evidence that supports my own knowledge and practical work. I have come to the conclusion that national should never have dropped the strategic plan to have 100% qualified staff in ECE.

There is an overwhelming amount of facts placed in front of our eyes if we take the time to research the question, what is quality in early childhood education? The facts show us that the children attending 100% qualified staffing ratios, receive better education and leave with better skills in preparation to become a valued member of society.

I believe common sense has a lot to do with this political issue. The better educated somebody is, the more knowledge they are, they become specialized in their area of expertise. You would not let an untrained doctor perform heart surgery on you? So why let somebody untrained care for your child? 

Early childhood teachers train for 3 or more years, learning about children and how to teach, care and support children as best as possible. As I said in my earlier discussion, we are a multi-disciplinary sector, brain development, policies, politics; environments, art and literacy are just some of the many papers teachers in training work through to receive the, Bachelor of Teaching in Early Childhood degree.  

I believe there is enough evidence that should prompt the National government, into re-assessing their early childhood education policies. Starting with reinstating 100% qualified teaching staff into all early childhood centres in New Zealand. Early childhood is a specialized field; children should receive quality care and education from well trained 100% qualified teachers. We have recognised how important the early years are for development, so why are we not raising the bar on our teaching? 

https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=ece&safe=active&biw=1242&bih=566&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ezk_Vf6jM8bQmwWlp4F4&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ