Closures due to COVID-19 requirements

When a childcare centre is closed due to COVID-19 requirements, Childcare Subsidy can continue being paid if the client still qualifies. A fee does not need to be charged to hold the child's place open for payment to continue.

A centre may close due to COVID-19 requirements because they:

• must close due to COVID-19 Alert Level 4
• are connected to a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 and have been instructed to close
• are not able to operate safely and within public health guidelines
• temporarily do not have any children needing childcare because of COVID-19

This is not an exhaustive list. If a centre has closed and you are unsure if it is due to COVID-19 requirements, please check the COVID-19 Alert System website for the most up to date COVID-19 guidelines.

Note Childcare Subsidy cannot continue being paid to a centre that is closed because it is not financially viable for them to stay open, or for any other reason that is not related to COVID-19 requirements.

There is no limit on how long Childcare Subsidy can be paid when a child is absent due to COVID-19 requirements.

However, the subsidy can only be paid for a period that relates to COVID-19 requirements.

If a centre is closed for longer than what is needed due to COVID-19 requirements, Childcare Subsidy can only be paid for the period that relates to COVID-19 requirements.

Liam's daughter usually goes to a small, family run childcare centre. They had to close for 4 weeks when New Zealand was at COVID-19 Alert Level 4. They then stayed closed for an extra 2 weeks due to a family bereavement.

Liam's Childcare Subsidy continued for the first 4 weeks the centre was closed because this was due to COVID-19 requirements. Childcare Subsidy was stopped for the extra 2 weeks because the centre was closed for a reason not related to COVID-19 requirements.