Starting a playgroup#

Playgroups meet in different settings throughout New Zealand. They offer the opportunity for parents or caregivers to give their children valuable educational and social experiences.

The Education Review Office (ERO) works with parents establishing playgroups to work towards certification.

Their particular focus is on the setup, delivery and maintenance of quality early childhood education programmes for children.

Contact ERO if you are interested in establishing a certified playgroup.

Contact – ERO

Cost of starting a playgroup#

Starting a playgroup does not need to be expensive.

It does not need to be expensive to start a playgroup. It is a good idea to work out a budget so the group knows how much money they will need to set up and run the playgroup. Many items can be donated to the group or collected for free. Other costs may include:

• rent and bond for the premises
• play equipment
• matting or carpet
• food and drink for children and adults (or they can bring their own)
• electricity
• first aid kit
• administration costs.

Financial management of your playgroup#

If you choose to become certified, your group will need to open a bank account in the name of the playgroup or organising body to receive our funding.

Your group will need to consider how to cover costs before receiving our funding if your playgroup becomes certified, or how costs will be covered if you do not receive our funding.

In some groups parents make regular financial contributions. In other groups no contribution from parents is needed. Groups can raise funds themselves, for example through donations, fundraising, community grants or from other agencies.

Funding for playgroups#

Funding for setting up your playgroup#

Some Ministry funding for setup costs is available for eligible groups.

To be eligible to receive funding a playgroup must:

• be certified – hold a valid interim or full certificate
• meet the conditions for payment of funding set out in our Playgroup Funding Handbook.

The Playgroup Funding Handbook provides more clarification of the changes associated with the introduction of the Education (Playgroups) Regulations 2008 which came into force on 1 December 2008.

Playgroup Funding Handbook

The Playgroup Funding Handbook#

Licence-exempt and certificated playgroups need to meet the same funding rules and requirements to be eligible for funding. Funding levels differ for licence-exempt and certificated playgroups to reflect the quality assurance provided by certification.

Playgroups recognised as licence-exempt prior to 1 December 2008 must continue to meet the definition of a playgroup published in the Education Gazette on 15 February 1991 to remain eligible for funding.

Playgroups established after 1 December 2008 must hold a current interim or full certificate to be eligible for funding.

Funding for operating your playgroup#

There are 2 types of funding available from the Ministry that playgroups can apply for:

• playgroup funding
• special grants.

Playgroup funding supports the day-to-day operating costs of running a playgroup. It is based on the average number of children attending and hours of attendance per session over a 6-month period.

Funding can be claimed for a maximum of 25 children between birth and 6 years old for each playgroup session. Funding cannot be claimed for children attending the playgroup with a caregiver when they are enrolled with a home-based service.

There are no restrictions on the number of times or hours a certified playgroup can meet in a week as long as no child attends for more than 4 hours per day.

Special grant

The special grant can help a playgroup cover large 'one-off' costs that cannot be met from other funding. This is a discretionary grant and there is no guarantee that applicants will receive the money they apply for.

The Playgroup Funding Handbook has more information about conditions that govern funding of playgroups and how to apply for funding.

Playgroup Funding Handbook

Financial reporting#

Your playgroup must complete and return a Playgroup Funding Report to us every year in July. This report needs to show how the money your play­group has received from us over the past year has been spent.

Annual statistics form#

We collect information from all playgroups through an annual statistics form. This includes playgroups not receiving our support and funding. This form is sent out to playgroups in June each year and requests information on:

• the number of hours the playgroup is open for
• the age, gender and ethnicity of children enrolled at the playgroup.

We use this information to determine:

• the numbers of playgroups operating
• the average numbers of children attending
• those that are receiving our support and funding.

Closing a playgroup#

If your playgroup closes, all remaining playgroup funds received from us must be returned.

Any equipment or resources bought using that funding or grant money may also need to be returned to us.

It is important that clear financial records and equipment inventories are kept.

The dispersal of group-owned assets including money and equipment should be decided by remaining members of the group