Licensing criteria for home-based ECE services

Section 10 of the Education and Training Act 2020(external link) defines home-based ECE services as the provision of education or care, for gain or reward, to children who are under the age of 5 years, or who are aged 5 years but not enrolled at school, in:

  • the children’s own home; or
  • the home of the person providing the education or care; or
  • any other home nominated by a parent of the children.

These services are licensed in accordance with the Education and Training Act 2020 under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008(external link), which prescribe minimum standards that each licensed service must meet. Licensing criteria are used to assess how the services meet the minimum standards required by the regulations.

For each criterion there is guidance to help services meet the required standards.

The publication of the criteria on its own can be downloaded as a PDF [PDF, 1.3 MB] and printed.

The licensing criteria were last updated in September 2022.

PF8 Art sink

  • Criteria
    • Criteria

      Premises and Facilities criterion 8

      There are hygienic facilities (other than those required by PF18) or alternative arrangements available for the preparation and cleaning up of paint and other art materials.

      Rationale/Intent:

      To ensure that facilities for preparing and cleaning art materials uphold hygienic practices.

  • Guidance
    • Guidance

      Any examples in the guidance are provided as a starting point to show how services can meet (or exceed) the requirement. Services may choose to use other approaches better suited to their needs as long as they comply with the criteria.

      There needs to be adequate space and facilities to prepare and clean up paint and other art materials. A laundry tub would be appropriate for art preparation and clean up. Bathroom facilities are not appropriate. 

      Alternative systems may include:

      • Using one or more buckets to wash materials, and disposing of the waste water in the laundry sink or down an outside gully trap
      • Placing an insert into a sink facility used for another purpose to prevent art materials from coming into contact with any cleaning waste or chemical residues, and/or to prevent paint or waste water from coming into contact with the sink.

      Robust cleaning procedures are needed to ensure all facilities are thoroughly cleaned before and after being used for art preparation and clean up.