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Early childhood educationDisclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child. Choosing an early childhood serviceIn New Zealand, there are a variety of early childhood services. If you are thinking about whether you want your child to have early childhood education outside your home, you might find benefits of early childhood education at the Team-Up (Ministry of Education) website helpful. When choosing a service, you need to think about what’s important for you and what will work best for you and your child.
For information about choosing an early childhood service, see:
The following are some of the early childhood options you can choose from:
 Back to TopPlaycentrePlaycentre aims to provide developmental learning through play, with close involvement of parents working in individual playcentres with their children. Playcentre caters for children from birth to school age. Children may attend up to five sessions per week.
For more information, see:
Back to TopEducation and care centresThese aim to provide an education and care programme appropriate to the age of the enrolled children. They can be run by the community or private owners, and provide full-time or part-time education and care. They may accept children from birth to school age, or children of specific ages.
At least one of the teachers at an education and care centre must be a registered teacher with a Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education) or similar qualification.
Centres include church, workplace and childcare centres. Some offer programmes which may be based on a specific culture. Others offer programmes which may be based on particular beliefs about education such as Montessori or Rudolph Steiner centres.
See the information and links at the Team-Up (Ministry of Education) website:
Back to TopKindergartenKindergartens aim to provide an effective high quality early childhood education service that is both affordable and accessible to everyone. It provides a programme to meet the developmental needs of children between two and six years. Usually, children begin with three afternoon sessions and then move on to five mornings each week. All teachers are registered and hold at least a Diploma of Early Childhood Education.
For more information, see:
Back to TopTe Kohanga ReoTe Kohanga Reo is based on total immersion of children in Maori language and tikanga (culture) from birth. Many Kohanga Reo are based on the marae and can be contacted by phoning the marae nearest you.
For more information, see:
Back to TopHome-based careHome-based care, or family day care, is a service which provides care and education for pre-school children in their own home or the home of another adult caregiver. Home-based care operates on a set of networks. Each network is a group of caregivers supported by one or more qualified co-ordinator. The co-ordinator helps parents to choose the right caregiver for their child. Co-ordinators support the child's learning programme. Home-based care networks receive government funding and are reviewed by the ERO (Education Review Office).
To find out about a home-based care network operating in your area, contact an early childhood co-ordinator at your local Ministry of Education office. See the Ministry of Education website for their contact details or check the government phone listings in the front of your telephone book.
For more information on home-based care, see:
Back to TopEarly Childhood Service of The Correspondence SchoolThe Early Childhood Service of The Correspondence School aims to provide a tailored programme for children who live in remote areas, have no settled address, have special needs or are sick or disabled. Parent resources and children’s learning materials are sent to you for use in your home.
For more information, see:
Back to TopChildcare SubsidyThe Childcare Subsidy helps families to pay for their pre-school children to go to an Early Childhood Service.
This subsidy is paid on an income-related basis (it depends on how much you and your partner earn).
Phone Work and Income on 0800 559 009 for more information or see the Work and Income website for:
Back to Top20 hours freeSince 1 July 2007, three and four-year-olds enrolled in a teacher-led early childhood education service and some Kōhanga reo have been able to qualify for up to 20 hours of free early childhood education. In teacher-led centres, one or more of the adults providing education and care are registered teachers. For more information, see:
Back to TopHow can I be more involved in my young child's learning? The Team-Up Ministry of Education website provides a wealth of information about how you can be involved in your young child's learning. The Team-Up early childhood booklet is designed to be kept and used as a guide throughout your young child's early years. The following are examples of the booklet's content. You can also order a free booklet by phoning 0800 TeamUp (0800 832 687).Infants:
Toddlers:
Young children: Features / issues: The Team-Up website also has information in the following sections: Back to TopWhere to go for more informationedCentre for parents
The early childhood section of the edCentre website (developed by key education agencies in New Zealand) provides resources and advice to help you to make informed decisions on early childhood education. You will find information on helping your child to learn, finding an early childcare centre, financial support and your rights and responsibilities. Listings of early childhood education services
An early childhood co-ordinator at your local Ministry of Education office can provide you with a list of early childhood services in your area as well as information on the different types of services available.
For contact details of Ministry of Education branches throughout New Zealand, visit the Ministry of Education website. You can also check your phone book. Look under government phone listings in the front.
The following listings and resources are also available:
Team-Up: Helping our kids learn (Ministry of Education)
Team-Up provides information, ideas and materials to help parents support their children and get more involved in their education.
Website: http://www.teamup.co.nz/
Back to TopYour notesEndorsement
This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 24/10/2008
CopyrightFact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation. © The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2010
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