CONTENTS
CONTENTSOn this page
Keeping records#
The following list of administration records will help you to develop records required to comply with:
- Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 – New Zealand Legislation
- Licensing criteria for home-based ECE services
- ECE funding handbook
The title of each record in this section is a guide only. You could set out the required content under different titles or group them differently.
Other records you must keep#
You also need to keep other records to meet your legal obligations as a business and an employer. Get advice from the other relevant organisations, for example:
Refer to the ECE Funding Handbook#
Read the ECE Funding Handbook as you develop your records to make sure they comply with funding requirements. Where possible, this webpage links to the requirements of the ECE funding system.
If in any doubt about requirements, check the actual wording in the:
Record retention#
Services are required to keep enrolment and attendance records for at least 7 years. It is a good idea to keep records of other things like accidents, illnesses and excursions for Education Review Office (ERO) audits.
Look at the ECE Funding Handbook for record keeping requirements and the enrolment and attendance records licensing criterion.
Enrolment records#
Your enrolment records must meet the requirements in the ECE Funding Handbook. The ECE funding handbook has templates to help you meet these requirements. These records must be held for 7 years before disposal.
See references to record keeping in the ECE Funding Handbook.
Chapter 6: Recording enrolment, attendance and absence
Appendix 2: Resources and examples
Read the relevant regulation and licensing criterion.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, Regulation 47 – New Zealand Legislation
GMA208 Enrolment and attendance records
See ECE Funding Handbook, chapters 6 and 11.
Chapter 6: Recording enrolment, attendance and absence
The handbook includes important information about record keeping – for example, staffing records, ECE qualifications, and a section specifically relating to home-based education and care networks (3-B-4). The handbook also includes examples of records needed for funding purposes in Appendix 2. It also has an example enrolment form.
Attendance record, sign in and out book and roll#
The attendance record shows all of the following:
- Separate sections or columns for children aged under 2 and for children aged 2 and over.
- The first and last name of each child, clearly identified.
- Days and times of actual attendance for each child.
- A record of any absence, with an ‘a’ when a child does not attend at a time for which they are enrolled.
- Notes and explanations about attendance, such as when a child is away sick or has attended for more or less hours than they were enrolled.
- Attendance registers that have been marked by staff on a twice daily basis (or once a day for services that operate only 1 session).
Services must also keep evidence that a parent or guardian of each child has regularly examined and confirmed the attendance record. For example, have a signed attendance register. This needs to be completed once a week for home-based education and care services.
See the relevant sections in the ECE Funding Handbook.
Chapter 6: Recording enrolment, attendance and absence
See the relevant regulations and enrolment and attendance records criterion.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 47 – New Zealand Legislation
Fees record#
The fees record includes:
- the level of fees and other charges to be paid and the conditions of payment, which are available to parents
- the name of the child for whom fees and other charges are paid, the amount paid and the period of attendance covered.
Publish the fees to be charged for attendance at the service, whether as actual fees, a range of fees, or a maximum fee, so families are properly informed.
Services also have to provide written information letting parents know about the amount and details of the expenditure of any Ministry of Education funding received.
Many services develop regular reporting processes including providing an annual report. Monthly financial reports are often made available. This is a good way to provide information to parents on a regular basis.
See Chapter 6 of the ECE Funding Handbook.
Chapter 6: Recording enrolment, attendance and absence
See the relevant regulation and licensing criteria.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 47 – New Zealand Legislation
Health and safety documentation#
Service providers must keep records for the following.
Injury, incident or illness record#
You must keep a record of all incidents, injuries and illnesses that happen at the service, even if a parent or visitor tells you about it later. This should show:
- the child's name
- the date, time and description of the accident, incident or illness
- actions taken and by who
- evidence that parents have been told
- copies of notifications to the Ministry of Education
- summary of any notification or reports sent to WorkSafe, Oranga Tamariki or New Zealand Police.
See the relevant regulation and licensing criteria.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 46 – New Zealand Legislation
HS216 First aid qualifications
HS218 Medical assistance and incident management
Medicine record#
You should have:
- a record of authorisation from parents for the administration of medicine, and acknowledgement medication has been administered based on the category of medication outlined in the Schedule
- a record of all prescription and non-prescription medicine given to the children attending the service.
Records must include:
- the child’s full name
- the name and amount of medicine given
- dates and times medicine was administered and by who.
Adults who administer medication need relevant training or information. A record of this needs to be kept.
See the medicine training licensing criterion.
When you can give medicine to a child
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, Regulation 46 and licensing criterion HS219 require that medicine is not given to a child unless it is given:
- by a doctor or ambulance officer
- by the parent of the child, or
- with the written authority of a parent or guardian.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 46 – New Zealand Legislation
Schedule: Categories of medicine and written authority required from parents for criterion HS219
Emergency plan and evidence of drills#
Your written emergency plan needs to include at least:
- evacuation procedures specific to the home and relevant to its location, which apply in different emergency situations and if applicable, are consistent with the building’s fire evacuation scheme
- designated assembly areas outside the building that keep children safe from further risk
- a list of safety and emergency supplies and resources sufficient for the age and number of children and adults present in the home and details of how these will be maintained and accessed in an emergency
- a communication plan for families and support services, and
- evidence of reviewing the plan annually and implementation of improved practices as required.
Emergency drill records must include:
- when the drills were carried out
- evidence of how they informed the annual review of your service’s emergency plans.
For services providing out-of-school care, the record must include evidence of drills performed with enrolled children and out-of-school care children at the same time.
See the emergency plans and drills licensing criterion.
HS204 Emergency plan and supplies
Sleep monitoring#
Sleep monitoring records must include:
- when each child sleeps
- when checks are made by adults when a child is sleeping.
See the sleep monitoring licensing criterion.
Excursions#
Excursion records must include:
- who is involved
- the time and date
- adult to child ratio
- location and method of travel
- a documented risk assessment and management process (RAMS)
- evidence of parental permission and approval of adult:child ratios, location and method of travel
- person responsible approval
- evidence of parental permission for any travel by motor vehicle.
See the excursions and travel licensing criteria.
Hazards#
You must have a hazard identification and management system that includes consideration of all hazards to children and to adults. The identifying and managing hazards section on this page has more information.
See the hazard and risk management licensing criterion.
HS207 Hazard and risk management
First aid qualifications#
You must keep copies of educators' first aid or medical practice certificates. Copies of current first aid or medical practice certificates counting towards this requirement.
Where access to first aid training for an educator is limited, a record of the actions taken by the service provider to ensure the educator has knowledge of first aid and achieves a first aid qualification within 4 months of starting work at the service.
See the first aid qualifications licensing criterion.
HS216 First aid qualifications
Food record#
Keep a record of all food served to children while they are participating in the service. This needs to record the type of food provided. This doesn't include food provided by parents for their own children.
The record must be kept and be available for inspection for at least 3 months after the food is served.
See the relevant regulation and licensing criterion.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, regulation 46 – New Zealand Legislation
Information for parents#
You must advise parents how to access:
- the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 and licensing criteria
- information about any changes to your service’s licence status
- your most recent ERO report
- the full names and qualifications of each person counting towards regulated qualification requirements
- information concerning their child
- information about any fees charged by your service
- how they can be involved in the service
- your service’s operational documents
- any planned reviews and consultation
- the amount and details of the expenditure of any Ministry of Education funding received by your service
- your service’s procedure for parents and whānau | families to follow if they wish to make a complaint about the service – the procedure should include details on who to contact and the contact information for your regional Ministry of Education office.
You should make your policies, management plans and meeting dates easily accessible.
Services offering out-of-school care need to provide more information including evidence of:
- a notice advising parents that the home their child is attending will have children receiving out-of-school care
- parental acknowledgment of the notice.
See the relevant regulation and information provided to parents licensing criterion.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, Regulation 47 – New Zealand Legislation
Reporting#
We use the Early Learning Information (ELI) system to collect enrolment and participation information from early learning services. Eligible services must connect to it.
