Kindergartens Aotearoa is concerned about the safety of babies and young children in home based early education and care services, after the government reduced requirements last week,

The changes mean those caring for young children in their homes don’t need to have any qualifications or knowledge of the needs of young children.

The change was announced last week and promoted as an improvement, as everyone needs to enrol in a course within six months of engagement as a home-based educator, however engaging or completing the course are not requirements. 

Kindergarten Associations run several homebased services that require all educators to complete a course.

For decades, advocates of homebased early education have been working to lift the standards in the sector.

Amanda Coulston of Kindergartens Aotearoa says the announcement last week also means all services can access the higher funding rate that goes to those with a greater proportion of qualified staff.

 “Essentially this means more public money with less accountability” says Amanda. “It will encourage private companies to set up homebased networks services just to get the money, without caring about the effects on babies and children.”

 Services can get government funding of up to around $11.60 per child per hour to run homebased services. 

 “It’s a real safety issue if people with no knowledge of babies and young children are able to care for them in their own homes.”

 Kindergartens Aotearoa represents six regional kindergarten associations around the country that operate more than 300 of New Zealand’s kindergartens, catering for 14,000 children each day, from Auckland’s North Shore to South Otago.