ECE Funding Handbook
Welcome to the ECE Funding Handbook. This handbook is issued under section 548(5) of the Education and Training Act 2020.
Funding of certain services and certified playgroups – New Zealand Legislation(external link)
The funding paid to licensed services is paid subject to the terms and conditions set out under this handbook and must be complied with. The terms used in this handbook are based in the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.
This handbook is designed to be a 'one-stop-shop' of everything you need to know about early childhood funding, including:
- the ECE Funding Subsidy
- 20 Hours ECE funding
- equity funding
- the annual top-up for isolated services.
This information does not apply to certificated playgroups
The information in the Funding Handbook does not apply to certificated playgroups.
These services should contact their Ministry regional office for more information.
Download the ECE Funding Handbook
If you would like to print a copy of this handbook, refer to the list of downloads in the contents section where you will find downloadable PDF versions of each chapter.
ECE Funding Handbook downloads
7-5 Emergency Closure
-
Introduction
An emergency closure occurs when circumstances beyond the control of individual services cause temporary closures.
Closures are normally for one or two days only.
-
Funding continuity
Funding will continue where a service was forced to close for a short time, in an emergency only when funding approval for the emergency closure is obtained from the Ministry regional office.
-
Example: emergency
The following are examples of emergencies where funding will continue:
- extreme weather conditions
- interruptions to essential services
- non-controllable health and safety issues
- civil defence emergencies.
-
Example: non-emergency
The following examples are not emergencies:
- lack of staff, including home-based educator absence (except when this is due to a non-controllable health and safety issue)
- person responsible is absent
- funerals in the community1
- A&P show.
The Ministry will not fund closures caused by these circumstances.
-
Approval required
If your service is forced to close in an emergency:
Step Action 1 Contact your Ministry regional office at the first available opportunity. 2 The Ministry regional office will approve/not approve funded emergency closure and confirm this to the service by letter.
-
Record keeping requirements
If your service was given Ministry regional office written approval for an emergency closure confirmed by letter or email and you are submitting an electronic RS7 Return:
- Keep the approval letter or email for your records.
- Record the Emergency Closure in your system.
- Record all children as absent for the day of the emergency closure. Funding may be claimed for the hours that children have a permanent enrolment subject to the funding maximums of the ECE Subsidy and 20 Hours ECE.
- Calculate the FCH claim using the actual booked hours for the day(s) of emergency closure.
If a service was given Ministry regional office written approval for an emergency closure confirmed by letter or email and you are submitting a paper-based RS7 Return:
- Keep the approval letter or email for your records.
- Record all children as absent for the day of the emergency closure. Funding may be claimed for the hours that children have a permanent enrolment subject to the funding maximums of the ECE Subsidy and 20 Hours ECE.
- Note the Emergency Closure on your RS7 Return using the code “EC” in the Staff Hour Count column on the day of closure
- Calculate the FCH claim using the actual booked hours for the day(s) of emergency closure.
If your service was not given Ministry regional office approval for an emergency closure funding cannot be claimed during the closure. Record the days of closure as “Service Closed” in your RS7 Return.