6-1 Enrolment records
Introduction
Early childhood educations services must keep enrolment records for all children who attend the service including children who attend the service on a casual basis.
Records
The age of each child enrolled in a service is important in determining at which funding rate each funded child hour (FCH) will be paid. The number of hours for which each child is enrolled is important in determining the number of hours for which funding can be claimed.
Enrolment records provide evidence that services and parents/guardians agree on the age of each child, and the number of hours for which each child is enrolled.
Storage of records
Enrolment records must be kept for seven years.
Funding for absences
The Ministry will fund the enrolled hours of absent children up to certain limits. The limits are defined by two absence rules:
In the event of a funding claim audit, funding claimed for absent children who do not have an enrolment agreement will be recovered by the Ministry.
Funding for casual children
Funding for casual children is based on attendance only. Absences can not be claimed for casual children who do not attend a booking.
In the event of a funding claim audit, funding claimed for casual children who did not attend a booking will be recovered by the Ministry.
All records must include
For funding purposes the enrolment record for each child must include:
- the child’s full name, date of birth, and home address
- the date the child commenced attendance at the service and their finish date
- the days and times each child is expected to attend, and details of any later changes to the agreement signed and dated by at least one parent/guardian
- attestation by the child’s parent/guardian of the hours the child is enrolled at another service (including none if appropriate) and
- a dated signature of at least one parent/guardian to attest to the accuracy of the enrolment record.
If the child is enrolled to receive education and care at a home-based ECE service the enrolment form must include a signed declaration to indicate whether the educator who will be providing education and care for the child is a member of that child’s family.
This declaration is part of the Enrolment Agreement Form sample and can be found on the Ministry’s website.
Services are required to keep other information on enrolment records for health and safety purposes. Please see the Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 and the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 or contact your Ministry local office for further details.
Records for casual children
Enrolment records for casual children must include:
- the child’s full name, date of birth, and home address
- the days and times of each child’s attendance, and details of any later changes signed and dated by at least one parent/guardian
- attestation by the child’s parent/guardian that the child is not enrolled at another service for the time the child will be attending the service casually and
- an indication that the child will be attending on a casual basis signed and dated by at least one of the child’s parents/guardians.
Records for children receiving 20 Hours ECE
Enrolment records for children receiving 20 Hours ECE must also include:
- the 20 Hours ECE Attestation section of the Enrolment Agreement Form completed by the parent/guardian if the child is to receive 20 Hours ECE at this service, and
- the Optional Charges Agreement section of the Enrolment Agreement Form to be completed by the parent/guardian.
For ministry record keeping purposes, sections marked with this symbol t in the Enrolment Agreement Form sample must be included by services in every Enrolment Agreement form. Wording cannot be changed, except to add relevant details for your service.
The Enrolment Agreement Form with the required wording can be found in Appendix 2 of this Handbook.
Tip
Keeping a copy of the birth certificate of each child enrolled in your service helps ensure that the date on their enrolment agreement is correct.
Recording special arrangements
Where applicable, enrolment records must include details of any transitional school visits (see Section 7-8 for details) and details of Correspondence School enrolment (see Section 3-A-1 for details).
Siblings
Services must keep a separate enrolment agreement for each child.
Each sibling or other relative must have their own enrolment record, signed by their parent/guardian.
Changes to records
All changes to enrolment records must be dated and signed by a parent/guardian of the child.
Changes that have not been signed by a parent/guardian will not be considered changed for funding purposes.
Services must keep a paper copy of any changes to enrolment records which are held electronically. This will enable changes to be signed by parents/guardians.