University ECE Essay: Early Childhood Education and Care Analysis

This essay delves into the multifaceted realm of early childhood education and care, emphasizing the critical role it plays in child development. It explores the importance of fairness, equitability, and inclusivity in early learning environments. The essay examines key principles, including holistic development, empowerment, and the significance of family and community involvement. It references the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and discusses the implementation of ethical codes within early childhood settings. The essay highlights the importance of protecting children's rights and providing them with the necessary love, care, and support to grow into responsible individuals. The essay also explores the impact of social and environmental factors on a child's behavior and development, emphasizing the need for inclusive policies and curricula. It underscores the importance of stakeholder collaboration in ensuring the success of early childhood education programs, with a particular focus on holistic development and empowerment. The essay also emphasizes the role of caregivers and educators in fostering children's growth and well-being, ensuring they receive appropriate care and guidance.

Running Head: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE
Early Childhood Education and Care
Name of Student
Name of University
Name of Tutor

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Introduction
Early childhood education plays a fundamental role in the development of children. It is one
of the key roles played by parents with an aim of developing an all-around person. The
growth of a human being depends on many factors right from the time they are born to when
they are transiting to adulthood. This critical role of nurturing children begins at early stages
and continues through. It includes early education offered in institutions and that offered by
parents. However, children are sometimes faced with many challenges that need to be
resolved. Since they are young people, sometimes adults may violate their rights. This calls
for their protection hence the enactment of children rights. These children need love and care
so that they grow up responsible individuals. In every country, there are policies and laws
that are legislated to protect the well-being of children and to give a guideline on how to deal
with issues of challenges when they arise (Mohr, 2016). As have been shown in this text,
children are very critical and vulnerable to many challenges from domestic violence to
molestation by adults. It is a fundamental requirement to properly institute appropriate
policies and legislation that will go a long way in ensuring the children rights are protected
and they grow in an atmosphere in which they do not feel threatened.
Part 1
Fairness and equitability are very important practices for children. To be fair is to handle a
child with utmost love while trying to consider the rights of the child (Pence, 2011). When
dealing with a child, one thing we need to understand is that this is a child, and their cognitive
development is not complete, therefore, certain things should be put into consideration before
making a judgment. According to the principle, all early childhood needed to be registered

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and licenses are given under the education act of 2008. Therefore, it was necessary that those
responsible for offering the early childhood meet the set criteria required for registration.
These services were offered by home-based organizations and the curriculum provided.
According to Te Wariki, all curriculums for early childhood is made up of English and te reo
Maori versions that give versions of the principles of early childhood education. All home-
based services are required to meet the standards set in the principles for early childhood
(Peers, 2011). According to Te Wariki, the early childhood curriculum gives children the
power to learn and grow. More specifically, empowerment enables children and their families
to grow independently and be accessible to resources that will enable them to grow their own
lives. There are four principles of early childhood according to Te Wariki, for example,
holistic development, empowerment, family and community, and relationships.
Holistic development is one of the fundamental requirements of any curriculum development.
Besides empowerment, holistic development should also be part of a child’s fundamental
rights. Children are expected to grow up respectful people.
Any community that a child is born, whether it is a family or a childhood setting away from
the home, gives opportunities for new learning to be realized; for children to discover new
ways of inventing things, establishing different ways of doing things, and encounter different
points of view (Childhood Education Centre Activities, 2010). Different children have varied
skills and experiences that they would require to tackle different challenges that they meet in
their day-to-day life.

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Part 2
When we talk of children, we refer to individuals with varied physical abilities, psychological
abilities, social, etc. It is important to ensure that when dealing with children, we put into
consideration all the spheres that every child would be found to ensure that there is
inclusivity (Mwaura & Marfo, 2011). In our families, there are children with disabilities or
physical challenges that need specialized attention from their parents, education stakeholders,
educationists among other interested parties. With every child abilities and skills in mind, the
environment can be set to accommodate varied characteristics (Tran, Luchters, & Fisher,
2016). Social setup is also another factor that predicts the behaviors of children, therefore,
when coming up with policies and education curriculum for early childhood development, all
factors should be weighed to ensure that the curriculum or policies are inclusive and touches
all the spheres of early childhood development.
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child has an
equal right to education and social well-being. The same act is found in Human Rights
policies. It is, therefore, important to take a keen look at what will enable every child to
compete favorably with his or her peers (Reyes, 2006). Article 12 of the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child explains further that a child’s basic fundamental rights
are enshrined in our societal values, cultural values, and environmental factors (Baker, 2017).
The society acts as a key influencer of the behavior of the child; a morally upright society
will shape its children in the right direction. Besides, the environment does also affect the
behavior of children especially as they grow. Additionally, chapter 19 of the convention sets
aside certain things that will foster a better relationship with children. Children are gifts from
God and need to be cared for by everyone despite their background (Belsky, 2013). This is
the reason the United Nations and nations have come up with regulations and laws to protect

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their lives. The laws are applicable to everyone including their parents. Let us, therefore,
consider all children as equal despite their social background, cultural setup, and
environmental difference.
Holistic development is one of the fundamental requirements of any curriculum development.
Besides empowerment, holistic development should also be part of a child’s fundamental
rights (Kirkland, 2013). Children are expected to grow up respectful people. Any community
that a child is born, whether it is a family or a childhood setting away from the home, gives
opportunities for new learning to be realized; for children to discover new ways of inventing
things, establishing different ways of doing things, and encounter different points of view.
Different children have varied skills and experiences that they would require to tackle
different challenges.
Implementation of the early childhood code of ethics is a compulsory process that the
stakeholders should observe and make it a success (Belsky, 2014). According to United
Nations Convention on the Rights of a child, some key values can directly be derived from
the side of children. They include empowerment and holistic development. Therefore, to
effectively implement the early childhood code of ethics for New Zealand, the parents and
stakeholders should focus on empowering all children equally and giving attention to all the
children in the country despite their cultural setup, social setup, and the environment they are
hailing from. Holistic development is again a critical developmental stage, which is quite
fundamental in the life of children (Alderson and Morrow, 2011). They needed to be holistic
in their thinking and behavior as they grow from being children to when they become adults.
Adults working with children are expected to have a clear knowledge of Maori definition of
health and well-being of children and at the same time understand the concepts of what they
mean in actual practice. The parents are also expected to have the right attitudes to enable
them to ensure that their children grow up very holistic, empowered, and upright individuals

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who can fit into the dynamic world (Peers, 2011). This critical role of nurturing children
begins at early stages and continues through their life cycle. Parents, therefore, play a critical
role in nurturing and helping their children to develop physically, psychologically, socially,
and culturally. It includes early education offered in institutions and that offered by parents.
However, children are sometimes faced with many challenges that need to be resolved. Since
they are young people, sometimes their rights may be violated by adults. This calls for their
protection hence the enactment of children rights. These children need love and care so that
they grow up responsible individuals. The caregivers are also expected to play the roles that
parents do. In cases where the parent(s) is missing, the caregiver is expected to show love to
the child and give direction just like the biological parent would do.
Conclusion
Early childhood education and care are an important area of concern for many stakeholders.
Governments have tremendously invested their resources in this sector; just to mention some
of them include enacting policies that are intended to empower children and protect them
from all manner of intimidation and harassment. Apart from United Nations, Human rights,
and Children rights organizations, nations have come up with other means of ensuring that
the rights of children are not violated in any way and those found doing it are dealt with
according to the law. They have also developed early childhood education centers provided
with an appropriate curriculum to enable a complete learning process. This curriculum takes
care of all the children whether normally upright or challenged in one way or another.

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References
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