From today, Education Review Office (ERO) will license and certify early childhood education (ECE) providers, license school hostels, register private schools, and deliver associated activities for these regulatory functions.
This Special Bulletin covers what will change for ECE and where to go for more information.
You may want to keep this information on hand while this change is happening, to help you find key ECE information.
Licensing, certification and associated functions#
ECE licensing, certification and associated functions will be delivered by ERO from today. Activities being transferred include:
- licensing early childhood services and certifying playgroups;
- carrying out proactive, regular, risk-based monitoring and enforcing compliance by service providers, including investigations and prosecutions as appropriate;
- providing support, information, and guidance to service providers about the regulatory requirements; and
- helping to improve the knowledge of parents, caregivers and others about compliance by service providers and the quality of early childhood education.
New applications#
From today, any new applications for new licences, certifications, amendments and changes of management should be directed to ERO.
Information is available on ERO’s website.
Starting an early learning service – ERO
Existing applications#
Any existing applications for new licences, certifications, amendments and changes of management that haven’t been completed by us will be transferred to ERO. You will be advised if your information has been transferred. ERO will contact you if they need anything further.
Complaints and incidents#
From today, ERO is responsible for receiving and managing complaints relating to early learning regulations. ERO is also the contact for reporting incidents.
Information is available on ERO’s website.
Any existing complaints or incidents have been transferred to ERO, as it is now responsible. ERO will contact you if anything further is needed.
Emergencies#
Call emergency services if you need the police, fire service or an ambulance. Get immediate medical assistance for a child who is seriously injured or becomes seriously ill and notify a parent.
If you need help with a local early childhood service-related emergency (for example service disruptions, facility evacuations, localised emergencies affecting service delivery, etc) email ERO.
Email: [email protected]
You can read more on ERO's website.
If a system or regional emergency response is activated, you will be contacted by us and/or ERO – for example, natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, severe weather events, and other large-scale emergencies.
Changes to licensing criteria#
The transfer of regulatory responsibilities from the Director of Regulation in the Ministry of Education to the Director of Regulation in the Education Review Office, has been reflected in changes to the licensing criteria.
The updated criteria and a comparison table showing the changes are on our website.
Funding#
Some of our applications and processes relating to how we fund ECE services have been reviewed given the change in responsibilities.
Playcentre and Te Kōhanga Reo quality and standard funding changes#
Playcentres and Te Kōhanga Reo that wish to change from standard to quality funding or vice versa should send us these applications.
Email: [email protected]
EC11PC – Application for Change of Quality/Standard Funding Rate for Playcentres
EC11TKR – Application for Change of Quality/Standard Funding Rate for Te Kōhanga Reo
Information about parent/whānau-led services funding:
Chapter 3-C Parent/whānau-led services
Change to bank account details and addition of GST registration numbers#
Licensed services changing a bank account or playgroups establishing or changing a bank account for all Ministry of Education payments should send the RS2 form.
Email: [email protected]
RS2 – Early Childhood Service/Playgroup Bank Account Form
Further information relating to parent/whānau-led services funding can be found at:
Chapter 8-1 Changing bank account details
Initial application for funding for an early childhood service#
RS3 forms we use to calculate a new service first advance funding payment will now be submitted to ERO as part of the licensing process. ERO will review and forward to us for processing.
RS3 – Initial Application for Funding for an Early Childhood Service
Further information relating to the RS3:
Chapter 7-1 Funding for new service
Chapter 7-2 Completing the RS3 form
Notional rolls enquiries#
All notional roll enquiries should come to the ECE resourcing team.
Email: [email protected]
Further information relating to the notional rolls is available at:
Playgroup funding#
Playgroup funding will now be administered by the ECE resourcing team. All enquiries should be emailed.
Email: [email protected]
More information relating to playgroup funding is on our website.
Funding Information for Playgroups
Waha Rumaki and PITA teacher allowances
If your service meets the eligibility criteria of a Puna Reo, Reo Rua Education and Care, Leo o Fanau Moana immersion or Leo o Fanau Moana bilingual services and wants to change to this service type, contact ERO.
Email: [email protected]
For more information relating to the Waha Rumaki and PITA teacher allowances, visit our website pages.
5-3 Allowance for teachers in bilingual or immersion services
Pacific Immersion Teachers’ Allowance
Any enquiries relating to the payment of the allowances should continue to come to us.
Email: [email protected]
Emergency closures funding requests#
All ECE emergency closure funding requests, including home-based educator emergency closures due to infectious disease, will now be submitted to ERO.
Email: [email protected]
Further information relating to the emergency closure funding is on our website.
Equity funding component C language and culture
These applications for component C of equity funding will now be submitted to ERO.
Email: [email protected]
For more information, visit our website.
Chapter 10-4 Component C Language and culture other than English
Our ongoing role#
We retain our role in regulation of state schools as well as policy, funding, curriculum and setting standards for early learning. Read more on our website.
Quick guides#
Licensing and certification#
| My query | Where to find information | Who to contact |
|---|---|---|
| An existing application (lodged with us before 1 Sept) | Starting an early learning service – ERO | [email protected] |
| An existing complaint or incident (underway before 1 Sept) | Report an incident – ERO | [email protected] |
| I want to submit evidence for enforcement action (started by Ministry before 1 Sept) | Report an incident – ERO | [email protected] |
| I want to submit an application (after today) | Apply for an early learning service licence or certification – ERO | [email protected] |
| About my centre’s funding | ECE Funding Handbook | [email protected] |
| Complaints, incidents |
| [email protected] |
| Emergencies – Service related, for example facility or localised issues | Emergencies – ERO |
|
| Emergencies – Regional or national, for example earthquakes or floods, large-scale emergencies | Emergencies and serious incidents at an early learning service Prepare for an emergency or traumatic incident in early learning | We and/or ERO will contact you. |
Funding#
