Introduction

The Tertiary Education Union Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa considers the development and maintenance of high quality and appropriate early childhood education services as a necessary condition for employment and study at New Zealand tertiary education institutions.

Institution responsibilities

The TEU believes it is the responsibility of each institution’s council to offer these services at each campus and across the span of working hours for the institution. This assists in providing employees with the maximum flexibility possible for their working day, contributes to ensuring domestic responsibilities can be more equally shared and allows both parents/caregivers to maintain continuity of their careers.

The provision of these services should form part of a broader institutional strategy for ensuring a family-friendly environment and better work-life balance amongst employees. Such a strategy needs to recognise such factors as the diversity of families within New Zealand and the significant caring roles that women in particular play within these structures.

Passed by Council, August 2011

Policy review date: August 2013