Child death leads to call for kindergarten staffing review

The death of a Whangarei four-year-old who choked on a piece of muffin has prompted a coroner's call for a review into kindergarten staffing levels.

The call has been welcomed by the Northland Kindergarten Association which says its national body has long lobbied for increased funding, to allow extra staff in kindergartens.

Whangarei coroner Peter Mahood made the recommendation at an inquest this week into the death of Elliott Nicholas Taylor on March 29 last year.

On Tuesday, Mr Mahood found that Elliott - who attended Onerahi Free Kindergarten - had died from asphyxiation after eating a piece of muffin he had taken from the kindergarten kitchen.

The four-year-old had collapsed undetected by staff after running outside with the piece of muffin.

Mr Mahood heard evidence that a parent helper had seen Elliott take the muffin and had warned him "you're not meant to have that" and advised a teacher of what had happened.

Staff had decided chasing Elliott would worsen the situation.

Elliott had run outside and hid, before collapsing. He was found by a parent arriving at the kindergarten four to five minutes after he had taken the muffin, but was unable to be revived.

Children who had seen Elliott on the ground had thought he was pretending to be asleep.

On the day Elliott died there were 41 children at the kindergarten, with three teachers and a parent helper.

Northland Kindergarten Association spokeswoman Trish Berry said that was within the required ratio of one teacher to 15 children.

She welcomed Mr Mahood's recommendation that the ministry review staffing levels.

"We totally agree. We thing it is a superb idea."

A lower teacher-child ratio would provide greater safety and improved education, she said.

Mr Mahood said Elliott had simply been a mischievous little four-year-old "and you wouldn't have them any other way".

A Ministry of Education spokesman said a committee for improving the quality of early childhood education was due to report to Education Minister Trevor Mallard in August.

The committee's charter included staff-children ratios.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE