Specified employment activity

To qualify for Flexible Childcare Assistance, a client must be participating in or entering into a specified employment activity. This means:

• paid employment or
• employment-related education or
• employment-related training or
• rehabilitation programmes where their participation is necessary to retain or obtain employment

A client must be participating in a specified employment activity for at least 3 hours a week when they are unable to access formal childcare. The 3 hours can include lunch breaks, travel time, and contact study time.

If the client won't be getting a main benefit while working, the paid employment (or change in hours if they are already working) must be sustainable employment. This means it must be expected to last for at least 13 weeks.

If a client will keep getting a main benefit while working, there is no minimum duration for the employment.

Employment-related education or employment-related training includes industry training, sector training, job-specific training, or on-the-job training.

There is no minimum course duration for clients who are entering into or participating in employment-related education or training.

Note if a client is applying for Flexible Childcare Assistance for a course that is for 13 weeks or longer, it must be Level 3 or below on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).

If a client is attending a rehabilitation programme, they may be able to get Flexible Childcare Assistance if the programme will help them prepare for or return to employment. They do not have to currently be in paid employment or have a specific offer of employment to qualify.

Rehabilitation programmes are considered on a case-by-case basis and may include:

• programmes aimed at enabling people with ill health and disabled people to reach and maintain their optimal level
• drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes
• ex-offenders' rehabilitation programmes

Note this list is not exhaustive.

Flexible Childcare Assistance cannot be paid for a client to participate in a residential rehabilitation programme. Clients in this situation may be able to get Community Costs. For more information see: