Summary

Participation in Early Childhood Education (ECE) has significant benefits for children and their future learning outcomes. Under its Better Public Services Programme, the Government aims to increase participation so that: ‘in 2016, 98% of children starting school will have participated in quality ECE’.

Participation in ECE has increased steadily for children in all areas of New Zealand and across all ethnic groups and socio-economic backgrounds. Currently, approximately 95 percent of New Zealand children attend ECE before they start school. However, Pākehā children continue to participate at significantly higher rates than all other ethnic groups, and Māori and Pasifika children participate at lower rates than children from other ethnic groups. Rates of participation also vary according to children’s socio-economic background and across different regions within New Zealand. There are also differences in the duration and time spent in ECE for children that do participate.