Section 10 of the Education and Training Act 2020 defines hospital-based education and care service as the provision of education or care to 3 or more children under the age of 6 who are receiving hospital care.

Section 10, Education and Training Act 2020 – New Zealand Legislation

ECE services operating from hospital premises that provide education and care to siblings of patients or children of hospital staff or patients are centre-based ECE services, not hospital-based ECE services.

Licensing criteria for centre-based ECE services

Hospital-based services are licensed in accordance with the Education and Training Act 2020 under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, which prescribe the minimum standards each licensed service must meet. 

Licensing criteria are used to assess how services meet the minimum standards required by the regulations.

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 – New Zealand Legislation

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

The licensing criteria were last updated in September 2026.

1 September 2026 changes#

From 1 September 2026, the Education Review Office (ERO) is responsible for licensing and regulating early childhood education services.

Find out how to apply for a licence on the ERO's website.

Starting an early learning service – ERO

The transfer of regulatory functions for early childhood education from the Secretary for Education in the Ministry of Education to the Director of Regulation in the Education Review Office, has been reflected in changes to the licensing criteria.

You can find a comparison tables showing these changes below.