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The Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 and the licensing criteria require early childhood services to have a child protection policy and several procedures.
Read the regulations and licensing criteria to be clear on what is required and from there determine what policies you will need.
The EC1 application form lists the policy and procedure documentation you need to submit with your probationary licence application.
Our guide 'Applying for a centre-based service licence' also includes what you need to submit with your probationary licence application.
Other policies, procedures and processes will be looked at later when your service is visited by the Ministry of Education as part of the licensing process.
See the relevant regulations and licensing criteria.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 – New Zealand Legislation
What policies and procedures are#
A policy is a high-level rule that guides decisions and behaviours. It defines what is expected in your service and why.
A procedure is a step-by-step set of instructions describing how to carry out a task or comply with a policy.
Why you need policies and procedures#
You must have a child protection policy and several procedures to meet licensing criteria requirements.
It can be helpful to have other policies and procedures to help you run your early childhood service.
Policies and procedures are developed to make sure:
- legislative requirements are met
- everyone at the service understands agreed processes and procedures so they are carried out consistently, safely and appropriately
- everyone at the service can discuss policies and procedures and suggest changes through regular review processes.
See the relevant regulation and licensing criteria.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 47 – New Zealand Legislation
Policies and procedures and the law#
Policies and procedures are not legally binding. Staff, parents and others in the service may agree to follow your service’s policies and procedures, and any future additions or changes, when they are employed or when their child is enrolled.
Policies and procedures are required to be implemented.
Copying from other services#
Policies from other services can give you good ideas to think about as you write your own. Services and communities may have different structures, beliefs, values and expectations.
It is important that your policies work for your service and reflect your philosophy, values and style of operation.
Writing policies#
Develop policies before you need them and be prepared to introduce new policies and procedures when the need for this arises. Consultation with staff and parents will help make sure your policies and procedures are robust and realistic for implementation.
Most policies include:
- a rationale – a reason for having the policy
- objectives – what you hope to achieve through the policy
- procedures – clearly describing the actual practices that will occur
- implementation information – how and when the policy will be implemented
- who is responsible for making sure the policy and procedures are implemented
- a review date for when the policy is planned to be reviewed.
Regular review of policies#
A regular review process where people in your service can discuss policy and suggest changes means your policies and procedures are always relevant to your service.
If you do not like an existing policy, discuss it with staff, and families and change it. Make sure you continue to meet regulations and licensing criteria.
Your policies should work for you. The content of your policies belongs to your service. Parents must also have an opportunity to be part of the development and review of your service’s policies.
See the relevant regulation and licensing criteria.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 47 – New Zealand Legislation
Review of third-party material#
We do not, as a matter of policy, review material produced by organisations (that is, third party) for use by early learning providers. It is the responsibility of the organisation producing the material for use in the early learning sector to make sure it reflects the required practice standards.
We will from time to time review this material in the course of its regulatory functions, for example licensing and reviews of early learning providers. If, as a result of reviewing material, we become aware of an inconsistency between the third-party material and expected practice, we will advise the provider and organisation producing the material of the inconsistency.
It is the responsibility of the organisation producing the material to make sure it is updated to reflect the required practice standard.
