Approved early childhood education programmes or services

An approved early childhood education programme or service includes:

• a licensed early childhood education service which includes:
• early childhood education and care centre (eg daycare centre, kōhanga reo, playcentre, kindergarten)
• home-based education and care service
• hospital-based education and care service

• a playgroup that has been certificated by the Ministry of Education (this means a playgroup is funded by the Ministry of Education and will meet certain standards)
• if before 1 December 2014, a licence-exempt early childhood education and care centre funded by the Ministry of Education (this means a playgroup is funded by the Ministry of Education and so meets certain standards)

and

• for which a fee is charged for the children to participate in the programme

Most early childhood education services offer 20 Hours Early Childhood Education. This means that children aged 3, 4 and 5 years old may be able to receive up to 6 hours per day, 20 hours per week of free early childhood education.

To help clients meet this social obligation you should discuss childcare assistance that may be available to the client.