Healthy Families Waitākere is supporting a national initiative to improve the health and wellbeing of kaiako (teachers) working in early childhood education centres (ECE).
Informed by a local strategic working group (SWG), Healthy Families Waitākere is collating, analysing and relaying insights gathered through empathy interviews with ECE kaiako in Waitākere to understand how the work environment impacts their hauora/wellbeing. Results have identified shared feelings of emotional and physical burnout and stress, alongside a perceived lack of recognition and understanding.
A national community of practice has been developed across a number of Healthy Families locations, to share information, learnings, and support robust thinking across the network. It is hoped this information will form the basis for an ECE health and wellbeing report on behalf of Healthy Families New Zealand, with the potential to influence political stakeholders at policy level.
To develop interim solutions, Healthy Families Waitākere are working alongside ECE provider, Best Start. The teams are exploring ways to address immediate pressures on kaiako, with the long-term goal of seeing ECE’s become health promoting work environments.
