Step 2: Design and build
ON THIS PAGE: Resource consent | Discretionary grants | Design steps | Build steps | Other resources
Step 2 - Design and build
Resource consent
Before you invest large sums of money designing your service, it is strongly recommended that you find out about resource consent.
If conditions attached to your resource consent limit the full operation of your ECE service (eg, conditions don't allow children to be outside after 3 pm), your service may not comply with the regulations to be licensed.
You'll find useful information on resource consents in the Publications area of the Ministry for the Environment website.
It's also important to talk to your local council about resource consent in your area. Council officials can:
-
help you work out whether you’ll need a resource consent
-
explain how to go about talking with people who might be affected by your project
-
explain how to prepare an assessment of environmental effects - they might also tell you to visit the regional council
-
process your consent.
Ministry of Education discretionary grants
If you are a community group, you may apply to the Ministry of Education for a discretionary grant for capital works.
You can find out more about discretionary grants on the Ministry of Education website.
Design steps
We suggest you work through the following steps:
A. Develop indoor and outdoor plans in consultation with your architect, teachers, community, and your Ministry of Education official.
To help you, the Ministry of Education has developed the following resources:
Other resources (standards, articles, books, weblinks, videos) are listed further down this page.
B. Contact your regional Health Protection Officer (HPO) and discuss your indoor and outdoor plans with them. You can search for your regional HPO using the Healthed website. If you're in the Wellington region, ask your HPO for the 'new centres pack' and a letter confirming your contact. Waikato and other areas also have information packs for ECE services.
C. Ensure that building plans comply with the Building Regulations 1992, as well as relevant sections of the Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 and any conditions on your resource consent.
D. When plans are finalised, apply for resource consent (if you haven’t already) and a building consent. You must have building consent and resource consent before work starts.
Back to top
Build steps
When you have building consent and resource consent, we suggest you:
A. Employ tradespeople and appoint or employ a project manager (if you haven’t already). If you have a Discretionary Grant from the Ministry of Education, it is expected that you will appoint a project manager.It is recommended that you always use tradespeople and professionals that are registered with their professional body (eg, Registered Master Builders). (Visit Buildit online to find out more).
Other resources: Books, articles, videos
Standards
The Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 [regulation 24 (a)] require all licensed ECE services to comply with applicable New Zealand standards.
Standards New Zealand has developed a guide for playground owners and operators of supervised early childhood facilities: Supervised Early Childhood Facilities - Playground Equipment and Surfacing Handbook (SNZ HB 5828.2:2006) (Standards New Zealand website).
Books
Ceppi, G., Zini, M. (Eds.) (1998). Children, spaces, relations: Metaproject for an environment for young children. Milan, Italy: Reggio Children.
Dudek, Mark. (2001). Kindergarten architecture: Space for the imagination. London: E. & F.N. Spon. ISBN 0419245200.
Greenman, J., & Stonehouse, A. (1997). Prime times: A handbook for excellence in infant and toddler programs. South Melbourne: Addison Wesley Longman. ISBN 0582876494.
Greenman, J. (2005). Caring Spaces, learning places: Children's environments that work. Redmond, WA: Exchange Press. ISBN 0942702336.
Ministry of Health. (1997). Ngā kupu oranga: Healthy messages. Wellington: Author. ISBN 0478094957.
Olds, A.R. (2000). Child care design guide. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishing. ISBN 0070474494.
Christie, T., & Christie, R. (2004). Childspaces: Design source book for early childhood environments. Wellington: Childspace Early Childhood Institute, 2004.
Post, J., & Hohmann, M. (2000). Tender care and early learning: Supporting infants and toddlers in child care settings. Ypsilanti, Mich.: High/Scope Press. ISBN 1573790907.
Videos
Carr, M. (1998). Assessing children's learning in early childhood settings: A professional development programme for discussion and reflection. [Kit, contains 3 videos, 1 book, 17 overhead transparencies]. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research. ISBN 1877140503.
Ministry of Education. (2001). Empowered to learn: Whakamana ki te ako: Te Whāriki for infants and toddlers. [Video and teacher's handbook]. Te Whāriki: Policy to practice, 3. Wellington: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2001). Empowered to learn: Whakamana ki te ako: Te Whāriki for young children. [Video and teacher's handbook]. Te Whāriki: Policy to practice, 2 . Wellington: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2000). Pinepine te Kura. [Videotape]. Te Whāriki: e puawai ai te reo me ngā tikanga, e tipu ai he mokopuna mo te Ao Hou, 1. Wellington: Learning Media.
Back to top
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
The environmental effects of having an ECE service in the neighbourhood will be considered before resource consent is granted. Sometimes resource consent has to be publicly‘notified’. Consents can be declined or have conditions attached (e.g., a higher fence or off street parking may be required).
You can find helpful information about building regulations at the 'Building Controls' section of the Department of Building website.
You can use the Ministry of Education’s licensing checklist or talk to Ministry officials to find out about the early childhood regulations.
