He Whānau Manaaki kindergartens, Aotearoa New Zealand: a pandemic outreach in new political times

Abstract

This article is an early commentary on a kindergarten story from Aotearoa–New Zealand during the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown in 2020; detailing community outreach and new ways of providing a kindergarten experience for children at home. A backdrop to this commentary is the political context of a popular Labour-led government managing a pandemic with the intent to eliminate the virus, which few other countries considered possible. The onset of the pandemic coincided with a reinvigorated early childhood policy environment with the release in December 2019 of a ten-year action plan for the sector. Its future is unfolding in uncertain times.