Licensing criteria for kōhanga reo

Kōhanga reo run a total immersion te reo Māori whānau (family) programme for mokopuna (young children) from birth to six years of age to be raised within its whānau Māori, where the language of communication will be Māori.

The operation and decision making of each kōhanga reo are the responsibility of the whole whānau within the guidelines set down by Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board. The trust and the kōhanga reo whānau administer the kaupapa to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the mokopuna and the whānau and to ensure the survival of te reo Māori.

Kōhanga reo are currently chartered to Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust and licensed by the Ministry of Education under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008(external link)

The Ministry does not provide guidance for the kōhanga reo licensing criteria. Guidance is available upon request directly from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust.

Contact – Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust(external link)

A copy of the criteria can be downloaded from the right-hand column.

The licensing criteria were last updated in September 2022.

Sleep

  • PF29: Design of sleep provisions
    • Premises and facilities criterion 29

      § Furniture and items intended for children to sleep on (such as cots, beds, stretchers, or mattresses) are of a size that allows children using them to lie flat and are of a design to ensure their safety.

      Rationale/Intent:

      The criterion aims to uphold the safety and wellbeing of children by ensuring that sleeping provisions are safe and appropriate for children using them.

  • PF30: Mattress coverings
    • Premises and facilities criterion 30

      § Furniture and items intended for children to sleep on (such as cots, beds, stretchers, or mattresses) that will be used by more than one child over time are securely covered with or made of a non-porous material (that is, a material that does not allow liquid to pass through it) that:

      • protects them from becoming soiled;
      • allows for easy cleaning (or is disposable); and
      • does not present a suffocation hazard to children.
      Rationale/Intent:

      The criterion aims to prevent cross-infection by ensuring that mattresses that may be used by many children over time can be kept hygienically clean.

  • PF31: Bedding
    • Premises and facilities criterion 31

      Clean individual bedding (such as blankets, sheets, sleeping bags and pillowslips) is provided for sleeping or resting children that is sufficient to keep them warm.

      Rationale/Intent:

      The criterion aims to uphold the wellbeing of children by ensuring that they have clean and warm bedding when sleeping.

  • PF32: Sleeping area for children two and over at sessional services
    • Premises and facilities criterion 32

      SESSION SERVICES ONLY:

      A safe and comfortable place to sleep (such as a bed, stretcher, mattress, or couch) is available for children aged two and older that require sleep or rest during a session.

      Rationale/Intent:

      This criterion makes more explicit the requirement to make some provision for children who need to sleep while attending the service but recognises that it is a rare occurrence.

  • PF33: Sleeping area for children two and over at all-day services
    • Premises and facilities criterion 33

      ALL-DAY SERVICES ONLY:

      Space is available for children aged two and older to sleep or rest for a reasonable period of time each day. If the space used for sleeping or resting is part of the activity space, there are alternative activity spaces for children not sleeping or resting as necessary.

      Rationale/Intent:

      The criterion aims to uphold the wellbeing of children by ensuring there are adequate provisions for sleep. The criterion also aims to ensure that children who are not sleeping do not have their activities unduly limited.

  • PF35: Sleeping area for under twos at sessional services
    • Premises and facilities criterion 35

      SESSIONAL SERVICES ONLY:

      A designated space is available to support the provision of restful sleep for children under the age of two at any time they are attending. This space is located and designed to:

      • minimise fluctuations in temperature, noise and lighting levels;
      • allow adequate supervision; and
      • accommodate at least the requirements of criterion PF36, when arranged in accordance with criterion HS10.
      Rationale/Intent:

      The criterion aims to uphold the wellbeing of children by ensuring there are adequate provisions for sleep.

  • PF37: Sleeping area for under twos at all-day services
    • Premises and facilities criterion 37

      ALL-DAY SERVICES ONLY:

      A designated space is available to support the provision of restful sleep for children under the age of two at any time they are attending.

      This space is located and designed to:

      • minimise fluctuations in temperature, noise and lighting levels;
      • allow adequate supervision; and
      • accommodate at least the requirements of criterion PF38, when arranged in accordance with criterion HS10.
      Rationale/Intent:

      The criterion aims to uphold the wellbeing of children by ensuring there are adequate provisions for sleep to take account of the needs and sleep patterns of individual children.