Centre based early childhood education services

This area of the site focuses on information that applies to centre-based early childhood education (ECE) services.

Centre-based ECE services are defined as ECE services that operate from specified premises and are currently licensed in accordance with the Education Act 1989 under the Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998. The exception is services that provide education and care only to children who are patients of a hospital. Within the new regulatory framework these services will have their own criteria.

Centre-based ECE services have a variety of different operating structures, philosophies and affiliations, and are known by many different names - Playcentres, early learning centres, Montessori, childcare centres, Kindergartens, crèches, ngā Kohanga reo, preschools, a’oga amata, Rudolf Steiner etc.

The new regulatory system including the criteria has been now been approved by the Minister of Education and notices have been published in the New Zealand Gazette.

A copy of the criteria can be downloaded from the right hand column. A printed copy relating to your service type will be posted as soon as the print copies become available.

This section has been updated to reflect the new criteria in the context of the standards and guidance. Please note that the related criteria links section on pages will not be accurate until all sections of the site are complete.