Recommended
CONTENTSOn this page
Personnel policy
Read upfront the following 2 pages:
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 47 – New Zealand Legislation
Licensing criteria: GMA6 Human resource management
Employment New Zealand has information to support human resource management that service providers may find useful. This includes templates for letters to appoint staff, fact sheets, employment agreement guides and help calculating parental leave for your employed staff. There is also an 'ask a question' feature.
Inland Revenue is a good starting point for finding out about obligations and entitlements concerning tax.
The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand provides information about the process of teacher registration.
Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand
Te Kāhui Tika Tangata | Human Rights Commission provides information about equal opportunities, including a discrimination and complaints guide.
Te Kāhui Tika Tangata | Human Rights Commission
The New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) is a union that negotiates collective employment agreements on behalf of many early childhood teachers.
Settling and transition policy
Transitioning to, within and from early childhood education settings are significant processes for children and their families. To make these experiences positive and successful, it is important that policy and procedures are based on knowledge of children and current educational theory and practice. These resources and more reading may assist with development of the policy and practice.
Te Whāriki: He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa – early childhood education curriculum (especially strands 1 and 2).
Te Whāriki Early Childhood Curriculum – Tāhūrangi
Strand 1: Mana atua | Wellbeing – Tāhūrangi
Health and safety policy
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 46 – New Zealand Legislation
The Ministry of Health's website has a resource called Ngā Kupu Oranga Healthy Messages. It is a health and safety resource for early childhood education services and is available to download.
Ngā Kupu Oranga Healthy Messages – Ministry of Health
Your local health protection officer (HPO) will be able to give you useful information that compliments Ngā Kupu Oranga.
The Ministry of Civil Defence website has a resource called Early Childhood Education (ECE) Services Emergency planning guidance.
Early Childhood Education (ECE) services emergency planning guidance – Civil Defence
The WorkSafe website has a range of resources, including tools like self-assessment sheets for health and safety matters and forms you can use, through to information about managing hazards for small businesses.
Legislation can be accessed on the New Zealand Legislation website.
Curriculum assessment and planning policy
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 43 – New Zealand Legislation
Child protection policy
Regulation 46(1)(a) of the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 requires that services take all reasonable steps to promote the good health and safety of children enrolled in the service. The Children's Act 2014 and the licensing criterion HS28 also require all home-based services to have a child protection policy.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 46 – New Zealand Legislation
Children's Act 2014 – New Zealand Legislation
Read more about these requirements and the Ministry’s accompanying guidance in the home-based licensing criteria and guidance.
Communication policy
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 regulation 47 and the Licensing Criteria for Home-based Education and Care Services, GMA1 to GMA3, set out the minimum standard of communication which should be communicated to parents and how they can access information about their child.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 47 – New Zealand Legislation
Positive guidance policy
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 43 – New Zealand Legislation
Complaints policy
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 47 and the Licensing Criteria for Home-based Education and Care Services, criterion GMA1, require services to inform parents of the procedure to follow if they wish to complain about non-compliance with the regulations or criteria.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 47 – New Zealand Legislation
GMA1 Parent access to information
You can find information about the complaints process for parents and whānau on our website.
