Kind Hands - Early Childhood Education

Kind Hands recognized the need for an Early Childhood Education centre that catered for our medically fragile children or children with disabilities. We are the first of our kind throughout NZ to have both Registered Nurses and Trained Early Childhood Teachers working alongside each other in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for our children. 

Vision

Kindhands Respite Care Cottage are leaders in providing quality early childhood education and health care for Northland tamariki who need additional medical and healthcare support over and above what regular early childhood services offer. 

Mission

Our centre is the first of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand, where tamariki have access to qualified and registered teachers and nurses. Kindhands staff will be outstanding role models, apply best practice within the early childhood education and health care sector, to enable optimal outcomes for our tamariki.  

Philosophy

At Kindhands we believe in providing high quality care that encompasses both early childhood and health care for our tamariki and whanau in Te Tai Tokereau.  The Kindhands Respite Care Cottage was purpose-built with the aim to provide a ‘home away from home’ environment.  All Kindhands staff will strive to build secure, safe and happy attachments with each child and their whanau.

Partnerships with whānau (whakawhanaungatanga) are essential to the wellbeing (mana atua) and development of all children who attend our service.  We value and encourage family and whānau input because we understand that they know their child best.  

Every learning experience that we provide for each child is done through careful observation and in collaboration with the child’s family and whānau. Children’s learning will be supported and facilitated by all Kindhands staff and is based on the child’s individual unique way of being.  Kindhands provides a safe, secure and nurturing environment.  Our aim is to implement medical and healthcare needs; we also aim to provide a stimulating atmosphere in which each child can grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically, socially and holistically. 

We believe in equity for all children by providing inclusive educational and life experiences.  This will provide optimal opportunity for continual learning and growth. Due to our low ratios, our staff are able to work directly with a range of different therapists and implementing medical interventions. The Kindhands nurses are confident in meeting the health care needs of each individual child in our care.

We have a strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and implementing a bicultural philosophy.  Kind Hands respects the unique position of Maori as Tangata Whenua in Aotearoa/New Zealand.  We view Te Ao Māori as a living language and nuture a Te Ao Māori approach within all relationships. The ECE curriculum Te Whāriki is woven throughout all experiences at Kindhands.

Every child has a voice and we believe Kindhands is an environment where we would like all of our children to be heard.  These children are our future and we firmly believe that they can be anything they want to be!  By walking beside every child and their family and promoting their individual development we believe it will increase the opportunity for continued successes throughout the child’s life.