November 22, 2012

Palmerston North, NZ – Under the new Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill, which is now being considered by a select committee, beneficiaries will be compelled to send their preschool children to early childhood education (ECE) for at least 15 hours per week. While Minister for Social Development Paula Bennett claims that this will ensure that disadvantaged children get the best possible start on life, the Home Education Foundation (HEF) of New Zealand cites research linking ECE with a whole spectrum of sociopolitical problems.

According to research by Canadian developmental psychologist Dr Gordon Neufeld, co-author of the book Hold On to Your Children: Why Parents Matter, children need at least six years to bond with their parents in a nurturing, play-rich environment before being sent to school. Parents who send their children to out-of-home care before the child has fully bonded with the parents will force their child to satisfy emotional needs by bonding with peers or caregivers. These bonds are soon broken when the peers or caregivers move out of the child’s life, resulting in insecure children suffering from what Dr Neufeld calls “attachment hunger”.

Anti-social behaviour is strongly associated with ECE attendance. In one of the most rigorous studies available, the US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found a strong link between long hours of non-maternal care and behavioural problems such as aggression, demanding behaviour, cruelty, fighting, and so on, even in children coming from usually privileged backgrounds.

In a Canadian study published this year, researchers from the University of Montreal and the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre said that children who attend daycare are more likely to become obese between the ages of 4 and 10.

Head researcher Dr Marie-Claude Geoffrey stated, “We found that children whose primary care arrangement between 1.5 and 4 years was in daycare-center or with an extended family member were around 50 per cent more likely to be overweight or obese between the ages of 4-10 years compared to those cared for at home by their parents.”

But what about all the research showing that preschool can be beneficial? New Zealand’s Dr Sarah-Eve Farquar, author of the 2008 paper “Assessing the evidence on early childhood education/childcare” says, “In September 2002 the government released a 10 year plan for ECE and the New Zealand Council for Educational Research Competent Children, Competent Learners study was drawn on to justify the values underpinning the plan and ECE policy. But the study had limited findings relating to ECE effects and quite major methodological problems.”

By contrast, says Dr Farquar, “The best evidence points to parents/family having a far greater impact than the childcare/ECE experience on children’s developmental outcomes.”

Problems with the Competent Children, Competent Learners study include the superficiality of the research conducted on the children, plus the fact that the overwhelming majority of the children studied came from well-to-do Pakeha families. “Due to the very small number of A’oga Amata in the study and the absence of other Pacific Island language nests and Kohanga Reo no conclusions should be drawn about these service types or about ECE effects on Maori and Pacific children,” says Dr Farquar.

She goes on to cite a number of New Zealand and international studies, including a more rigorous study conducted in Christchurch in 1994. While this study did find very small detectable increases in ability and achievement scores among ECE attendees, the researches stated that “the relatively small effect sizes found and the uncertainties of the evidence suggest it would be unwise to aggressively promote the view that early education of the type provided to this cohort makes an important contribution to subsequent academic achievement. At best any benefits found in this study are small and it is possible that even these benefits may be due to uncontrolled factors rather than the benefits of early education.

After citing other reputable international studies, Dr Farquar concluded, “The best evidence does not show that good quality ECE is better necessarily than care within the family or has a greater impact on children’s achievement and other outcomes…It may be that if unbiased information on potential risks and the size of benefits is given to parents in a timely manner, then parents can make more informed choices and manage risks to better advantage their child’s development.”

More information on the bill can be found at www.hef.org.nz.

About the Home Education Foundation

The Home Education Foundation has been informing parents for 27 years about the fantastic opportunity to de-institutionalise our sons and daughters and to embrace the spiritual, intellectual and academic freedom that is ours for the taking. Through conferences, journals, newsletters and all kinds of personal communications, we explain the vision of handcrafting each child into a unique individual, complete with virtuous character, a hunger for service to others, academic acumen and a strong work ethic. For more information, please visit www.hef.org.nz or more specifically hef.org.nz/2012/make-a-submission-reject-compulsory-early-education-for-3-year-olds/

This was reported here:

Scoop: Early Childhood Education Brings Uncertain Benefits

Voxy: Early childhood education ‘brings social drawbacks’

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Related Links:

• Submissions published for the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill
• New Zealand Law Society Submission
• Australians have common sense where it seems our NZ Government does not
• ECE (Preschool) is no good for 4, 5 and possibly 6 year olds expert says
• Presenting an oral submission to the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill
• Social Services Select Committee members
• Barbara Smith’s submission
• Media Release 11 – Parents Are Responsible for Education, Says HEF National Director
• Media Release 10 – Preschool Associated With Social and Academic Disadvantage
• A Bit of Political Advice to Home Educators by Craig Smith
• Samuel Blight’s submission
• Home Education Foundation’s submission
• Media Release 9 – Social Security Bill Should Treat Home Education as a Legitimate Choice
• Media Release 8 – Social Security Bill Will Cause Real Hardship to Real People
• Family Integrity’s submission
• Media Release 7 – Paula Bennett’s One-Size-Fits-All Approach Leaves Parents With No Options
• 2nd letter from Paula Bennett to Barbara Smith
• Why should I put a submission into the Select Committee about the beneficiaries?
• Media Release 6 – Social Security Bill Will Punish Responsible Parents Who ‘Can’t Be Bought’
• Beneficiaries: Policy and Law
• 66 Submissions
• Submission: Trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, slavery and deception
• Media Release 5 – Beneficiary Parents “Not Able to Home School” Under Social Security Bill
• Media Release 4 – Social Security Bill Targets Responsible Parents for Toughest Penalties
• Letter from Paula Bennett to Samuel Blight
• Opinion Piece in Truth
• Possible timeline for Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill
• Media Release 3 – Social Security Bill’s ECE Obligations Breach Human Rights
• Media Release 2 – Vulnerable Children Not Benefited By Social Security Bill
• Media Release 1 – Social Security Bill Coerces Parents, Removes Freedom
• Make a submission: Reject compulsory Early Education for 3 year olds
• Some of the main links
• Comment on Q+A: Social Development Minister Paula Bennett
• Human Rights in New Zealand Today: The right to education
• Raymond S. Moore on Early Childhood Centres
• Should preschool be compulsory?
• TVNZ One this morning Q&A with Paula Bennett
• Maxim Institute: What is best for children?
• HUGE Concerns over the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill
• Letter from Paula Bennett concerning beneficaries and home education to Barbara Smith
• Toby Manhire on Benefit-slaying Nats starting to look plain nasty
• Linking welfare to preschool attendance a world first
• New Update on: How will the new Social obligations which will be required of all beneficiary parents effect home schoolers?
• How will the new Social obligations which will be required of all beneficiary parents effect home schoolers?

The 578 submissions for the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill are here so far:  View all evidence (including submissions)

“Evidence put forward to select committees as part of their consideration of individual items of business, including submissions from the public. Only evidence that has been released by a committee will be available here.”

So not all the submissions have been put up on this page. I already know of one confidential submission sent the Select Committee and there may be others. The Social Security Committee may have chosen not to put up other submissions. Submissions were posted to this page 7 Nov and 14 Nov. My submission, the Home Education Foundation and Family Integrity submissions have not been posted up there yet. And I have heard of others whose submissions have not been posted there yet as well.

 Are you presenting an oral submssion then go here: Presenting an oral submission to the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill

Did you miss sending in a submission by 1 November?

Did you miss being able to present an oral submission?

If so, there is still a lot you can be doing.

1. We (also those who put in submissions and spoke to them with oral submissions) can still be lobbying all the members on the Social Services Select Committee. They have to make their report by 20 March 2013.

Against the Bill at the 1st reading:

Jacinda Ardern,Jan Logie,Rajen Prasad and Su’a William Sio

Those who voted for the Bill at the 1st reading

Simon Bridges,  Melissa Lee,  Asenati Lole-Taylor , Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, Tim Macindoe, Alfred Ngaro, and Mike
Sabin

a. The most effective thing we can be doing now is visiting these MPs. We need to be putting a face to this Bill for them. When they are writing up their reports we need them to think of those they have seen presenting oral submissions and those who have visited them over the next few weeks and possibly months

• Don’t be afraid to take your children with you when visiting the MPs – this is very educational for them
• Please try to visit them this year or early next year. Even though we know that they have to present their report by 20 March and they expect to take the full time, they may present it early.
• Check out these pages for information on what to say when you visit the MPs personally or speak more to the submission you have put in

1. https://hef.org.nz/2012/make-a-submission-reject-compulsory-early-education-for-3-year-olds/
2. https://hef.org.nz/beneficiaries/submissions
3. View all evidence (including submissions)
4. New Zealand Law Society Submission
5. Family Integrity’s submission
6. Home Education Foundation’s submission

• There are some good tips on this page: https://hef.org.nz/beneficiaries/making-an-oral-submission-to-the-select-committee

b. We can phone the MPs on the Select Committee

c. We can email or send letters (no stamp required) to the MPs on the Select Committee

2. We can lobby all the MPs particulary next year

3. We can be praying for wisdom for the MPs to be making wise decisions

Please feel free to repost, forward or pass on  this email

Please do so with the whole post. Thankyou

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Related Links:

• Media Release 12 – Early Childhood Education Brings Social Drawbacks, Uncertain Benefits
• New Zealand Law Society Submission
• Australians have common sense where it seems our NZ Government does not
• ECE (Preschool) is no good for 4, 5 and possibly 6 year olds expert says
• Presenting an oral submission to the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill
• Social Services Select Committee members
• Barbara Smith’s submission
• Media Release 11 – Parents Are Responsible for Education, Says HEF National Director
• Media Release 10 – Preschool Associated With Social and Academic Disadvantage
• A Bit of Political Advice to Home Educators by Craig Smith
• Samuel Blight’s submission
• Home Education Foundation’s submission
• Media Release 9 – Social Security Bill Should Treat Home Education as a Legitimate Choice
• Media Release 8 – Social Security Bill Will Cause Real Hardship to Real People
• Family Integrity’s submission
• Media Release 7 – Paula Bennett’s One-Size-Fits-All Approach Leaves Parents With No Options
• 2nd letter from Paula Bennett to Barbara Smith
• Why should I put a submission into the Select Committee about the beneficiaries?
• Media Release 6 – Social Security Bill Will Punish Responsible Parents Who ‘Can’t Be Bought’
• Beneficiaries: Policy and Law
• 66 Submissions
• Submission: Trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, slavery and deception
• Media Release 5 – Beneficiary Parents “Not Able to Home School” Under Social Security Bill
• Media Release 4 – Social Security Bill Targets Responsible Parents for Toughest Penalties
• Letter from Paula Bennett to Samuel Blight
• Opinion Piece in Truth
• Possible timeline for Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill
• Media Release 3 – Social Security Bill’s ECE Obligations Breach Human Rights
• Media Release 2 – Vulnerable Children Not Benefited By Social Security Bill
• Media Release 1 – Social Security Bill Coerces Parents, Removes Freedom
• Make a submission: Reject compulsory Early Education for 3 year olds
• Some of the main links
• Comment on Q+A: Social Development Minister Paula Bennett
• Human Rights in New Zealand Today: The right to education
• Raymond S. Moore on Early Childhood Centres
• Should preschool be compulsory?
• TVNZ One this morning Q&A with Paula Bennett
• Maxim Institute: What is best for children?
• HUGE Concerns over the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill
• Letter from Paula Bennett concerning beneficaries and home education to Barbara Smith
• Toby Manhire on Benefit-slaying Nats starting to look plain nasty
• Linking welfare to preschool attendance a world first
• New Update on: How will the new Social obligations which will be required of all beneficiary parents effect home schoolers?
• How will the new Social obligations which will be required of all beneficiary parents effect home schoolers?

Home schoolers win dole respite

I have been thinking for awhile about how to approach the next stage of fighting this bill. I knew it had to be broken into two sections. The first before the end of the year and the 2nd next year leading up to the 2nd reading. It seemed that we woud loose momentum over the Christmas holidays so we would need to be careful how we approach this.

Well today it all became clear when I was rung about my opportunity to speak to my submissions to the Select Committee.

It would seem that all the oral submissions will be this year – later this month and early next month.

So the two pronged approach should be this:

1. For the rest of this year making oral submissions and lobbying all the members on the Social Services Select Committee. They have to make their report by 20 March 2013.

2. From the beginning of February lobby all MPs: List Of Members Of Parliament September 2012 especially those who might change their vote from the 1st reading.

1st reading votes:

Public Hearing days in Auckland – Novotel at Auckland airport

30 November 9:00am-5:00pm (only one day)

Public Hearing days in Wellington – Parliament

28 November 9:00 – 10:00am and 3:30 – 6:00pm

3 December 9:ooam – 1:00pm and 2:00-5:00pm

5 December 9:00-1:00am and 3:30-6:00pm

These are public meetings so anyone can attend these meetings. The media might be at them as well.

Presenting oral submissions:

Now that they are beginning to call people in to speak to their submissions we need to think about getting prepared to do this. Remember that even if you can’t appear in person, you can make your oral submission by telephone or teleconference. They have some basic guidelines and advice for you as you prepare for your submission. Click here to read how to make an oral submission.

Interesting new research and links:

• Australians have common sense where it seems our NZ Government does not
• ECE (Preschool) is no good for 4, 5 and possibly 6 year olds expert says

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Needing help for your home schooling journey:

https://hef.org.nz/2011/needing-help-for-your-home-schooling-journey-2/

And

Here are a couple of links to get you started home schooling:

https://hef.org.nz/getting-started-2/

and

https://hef.org.nz/exemptions/

This link is motivational:
https://hef.org.nz/2012/home-schooling-what-is-it-all-about/

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Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill (and links)

Make a submission: Reject compulsory Early Education for 3 year olds