Conversation
About the review
The Ministry of Education is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of the early learning regulatory system (the Review). We want to make sure the system is clear and fit for purpose to support high quality educational outcomes for our youngest learners. The Review is being completed in three tranches to ensure high priority issues are actioned first.
For more information about the Review, please visit Early Learning Regulatory Review — education.govt.nz
Tranche two proposals
Network Approval
From 30 January to 27 February 2023, we consulted on proposals to support the implementation of network approval by amending. The proposed amendments to the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 to:
- enable the licence for an existing service to be amended, without requiring an application for network approval, where the service has to permanently relocate because its land has been acquired by the Crown for public works or urban development, and
- clarify that the Secretary for Education must consider relevant network approval provisions when considering an application to amend an existing licence.
Further information on the regulatory changes, including FAQs, consultation material and a summary of the feedback received can be found below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Summary of feedback from the 2023 consultation
Consultation document (Closed)
- Full consultation document (English) [PDF, 557KB]
- Full consultation document (English) [DOCX, 296KB]
Summaries of the consultation document (Closed)
- English summary document [DOCX, 54KB]
- Māori summary document [DOCX, 89KB]
- Cook Island Māori summary document [DOCX, 91KB]
- Fijian summary document [DOCX, 90KB]
- Kiribati summary document [DOCX, 90KB]
- Niuean summary document [DOCX, 91KB]
- Rotuman summary document [DOCX, 92KB]
- Samoan summary document [DOCX, 90KB]
- Tokelauan summary document [DOCX, 92KB]
- Tongan summary document [DOCX, 93KB]
- Tuvaluan summary document [DOCX, 91KB]
2022 consultation on network management
On 2 June 2022, we finished consultation on the priorities for network management and the policy for new network management regulations. The consultation documents and feedback can be found below. More information about the network management arrangements can be found on Network management for licensed early childhood services – education.govt.nz
Consultation document (Closed)
Network management public consultation document [PDF, 2MB]
Summaries of the 2022 consultation document (Closed)
- Summary for consultation on network management — English [PDF, 764KB]
- Te reo Māori summary document [PDF, 793KB]
- Cook Island Māori summary document [PDF, 755KB]
- Fijian summary document [PDF, 727KB]
- Kiribati summary document [PDF, 731KB]
- Niuean summary document [PDF, 728KB]
- Rotuman summary document [PDF, 769KB]
- Samoan summary document [PDF, 757KB]
- Tokelauan summary document [PDF, 784KB]
- Tongan summary document [PDF, 821KB]
- Tuvaluan summary document [PDF, 728KB]
Summary of feedback from the 2022 consultation
Consultation feedback report [PDF, 528KB]
The new requirements for seeking network approval can now be found Network management for licensed early childhood services - Education.govt.nz.
Changes to qualifications required for all home-based ECE services through the standard funding rate
Changes to minimum qualifications for educators in home-based ECE services commenced on 1 June 2022. These changes are outlined in Clause 4 of the Education (Early Childhood Services) Amendment Regulations (No 2) 2021 (the Amendment Regulations).
Consultation on the changes was carried out from 27 August to 27 September 2021. The proposals were generally well supported from the 156 survey responses and 10 written submissions received. You can read a summary of consultation feedback in the consultation report.
Online consultation
More information about these proposed changes can be found in the consultation document [PDF, 675KB]. A summary of the information is also available in the te reo Māori summary document [PDF, 636KB] and English summary document [PDF, 364KB].
Regulating for 80% qualified teachers and strengthening the person responsible requirement for teacher-led centres and hospital-based services
Online consultation
Consultation on options to regulate for 80% qualified teachers and proposals to strengthen the person responsible requirement in teacher-led centres and hospital-based services was held from 8 September to 22 October 2021.
The proposals were generally well supported from the 218 survey responses and 34 written submissions received. We also heard feedback from a group of ECE teachers, Pacific services in Auckland and the Sector Advisory Group earlier this year. A summary of the consultation feedback can be found here.
We have provided advice to the Minister based on this updated consultation feedback and will provide further updates once decisions have been made.
More information about these proposed changes can be found in the 2021 consultation document [PDF, 862KB]. A summary of options to regulate for 80% qualified teachers is also available in the summary documents in the languages below:
- English summary document [PDF, 749KB]
- Te reo Māori summary document [PDF, 748KB]
- Cook Island Māori summary document [PDF, 367KB]
- Samoan summary document [PDF, 750KB]
- Tongan summary document [PDF, 761KB]
Strengthening the person responsible requirement for home-based services
Online consultation
We have provided advice to the Minister based on updated consultation feedback on the proposals to strengthen the role of the person responsible for home-based services. We will provide further updates once decisions have been made.
More information about these proposed changes can be found in the 2021 consultation document. A summary is also available in English and te reo Māori. Consultation closed on 22 October 2021.
Contact for the Review
If you have any questions or suggestions about the Review, please email Earlylearning.Regulatoryreview@education.govt.nz.