Mana uses key-educator allocations to make responsibility for knowing each child and working with their family clear. The aim is for every child to have familiar adults who understand them, notice their learning and respond with care.
Why relationships matter
Responsive relationships help children feel secure. A meta-analysis of 40 studies found that sensitive care was associated with more secure educator–child relationships. In centres, educators’ responsiveness to the whole group mattered.
Continuity gives educators time to know a child well. Familiar educators can recognise a child’s interests, ways of communicating and support needs, then build on earlier learning. This is reflected in ACECQA’s guidance on continuity of staff.
The evidence supports the quality and consistency of everyday relationships. It does not show that assigning a name in Mana, by itself, improves children’s outcomes.
What this looks like in practice
Know the child: make time for warm interactions, notice their cues and interests, and respond thoughtfully.
Work with families and whānau: listen to their knowledge, aspirations, language and culture, and share what you are noticing.
Plan for continuity: help other trusted educators understand the child’s routines and needs during absences or transitions.
A key educator works within a team. Children can build trusting relationships with several educators. New Zealand’s Te Whāriki guidance describes this shared approach and the importance of respecting family and cultural ways of caring.
How Mana supports this
Mana lets your centre assign multiple key educators to a child or room. These allocations help make responsibilities visible. For enabled family chats, Mana automatically includes the relevant assigned educators and centre Managers and Owners, connecting communication with the people responsible for those relationships.
For the practical steps, see managing key-child allocations, assigning educators to rooms and who is automatically added to Chat.