In the past eight years there has been a large increase in the number of Maori and Pacific preschool children using formal childcare, Stats New Zealand said.
The Childcare in New Zealand Survey asked parents of children 13 years and younger about their children’s care arrangements which ranged from teacher-led centres, such as kindergartens and Kohanga Reo, through to playgroups and home-based care.
Labour markets and household statistics senior manager Jason Attewell says, “In 2017, about two in three Maori preschool children attended some form of early childhood education – about the same level as European children.”
“This is quite an increase from 2009, when just one in two Maori children attended early childhood education, and reflects the range of programmes focused on increasing Maori and Pacific participation in early childhood education.”
Stats NZ says 31 per cent of Pacific preschool children were enrolled in formal care in 2009, which grew to 53 percent in 2017, similar to Asian participation.
While a higher proportion of European children attend early childhood education, on average they spent less time per week there compared with Maori, Asian and Pacific children.
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