Early childhood services information
Although the first wave of the pandemic seems to be behind us, there may still be cases of infection. If you have any questions, they might be answered below or use our online form.
For more information
- Ministry of Education regional and local office staff
- Education Helpline 0800 225 580
- For medical advice HEALTHLINE 0800 611 116 or visit the Ministry of Health pandemic website.
Prevention and containment
- Can I stop children from coming to an ECE service if I think they may be sick?
Yes, the relevant regulations and criteria require that services take all practical steps to ensure that the spread of infectious diseases is minimised, and that children do not come into contact with any person (adult or child) on the premises who is suffering from a disease or condition likely to be passed on to children, and likely to have a detrimental effect on them. Services should refer to Regulation 28 of the Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998, or regulation 46 of the Education (Early Childhood Services Regulations) 2008, and relevant criteria.
- If I think a staff member may be sick, can I require them to stay home?
Management would need to take professional advice regarding their obligations as an employer. In practice, services would generally proceed subject to advice received from the district medical officer of health.
The Ministry of Heath will provide advice, and possibly a directive should that be necessary, as part of its responsibilities in monitoring the Influenza A (H1N1) swine flu situation in New Zealand and overseas.
ECE services are required by the relevant regulations to ensure that employees who have an infectious or contagious disease or condition do not come into contact with children. Services should refer to regulation 29 of the Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998, or regulation 57 of the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, and relevant criteria.
- What can early childhood services and other educational facilities do to protect children and students?
The most useful actions are to ensure good hygiene in the facility and, in particular, good hand hygiene. Getting children to wash their hands with soap and water (and dry hands thoroughly), particularly before eating, is one of the most effective things schools and ECE services can do to prevent the spread of the virus among children and young people. Another is ensuring that sick students and staff stay home. This should be ongoing hygiene practice as it will result in a much reduced incidence of illness generally for adults and children alike.
Dealing with any health issue like this can be problematic for early childhood services, but there is evidence that suggests a focus on containment does help prevent viruses spreading.
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Closures
- Will early childhood services still be closed?
Early childhood service and school closures are most effective when a pandemic response is focused on preventing and containing the influenza virus spreading throughout communities. As most of New Zealand has now experienced some spread of the pandemic influenza virus, these closures are much less likely to be needed.
However, communities should be aware and prepared for the possibility that a second wave of the virus may occur in the coming months. If that happens, measures to contain the virus may again be necessary. If we get a second wave, medical officers of health may advise early childhood services in certain areas to close, if containment could be effective. It’s likely that if a service was advised to temporarily close, then the closure would take effect from the end of the day to minimise disruption to parents and caregivers.
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Staffing and funding
- What happens to my service’s funding if advice from my local medical officer of health is for my service to voluntarily close?
The Ministry of Education will provide emergency funding, on a case-by-case basis, for up to seven days, in the event that a local Medical Officer of Health requests that your early childhood education service should be closed to control the spread of influenza A (H1N1) swine flu.
To verify this funding, the Ministry of Education may require evidence that your service has closed to control the spread of influenza A (H1N1) swine flu. This may be a letter or an email from the medical officer of health but you should contact your local Ministry of Education office to discuss.
Please refer to the Early Childhood Funding Handbook on www.lead.ece.govt.nz.
- What happens if my service remains closed for more than seven days?
The Ministry of Education will consider requests for emergency funding on a case-by-case basis where the service needs to remain closed for more than seven days.
Please refer to the Early Childhood Funding Handbook on www.lead.ece.govt.nz.
- What happens to my staff if advice from my local Medical Officer of Health is for my service to voluntarily close?
You will need to discuss this with each of your staff members with respect to their employment contracts.
- What happens if children at my service are unwell?
As usual, services should apply the absence rules in the Ministry of Education’s Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook; these can be found at www.lead.ece.govt.nz.
Early childhood education services may claim funding for all sessions/days a child was enrolled to attend, but was absent from, within a three week period. The three week period begins on the first day of absence. Services must not claim funding for absences that continue into the fourth week and beyond.
- What happens if staff at my service are unwell and need to be away?
If staff at your early childhood education service are unwell and need to be away from the service you will need to check what your obligations are under both the relevant employment legislation and your employment contract with staff.
- What will the pay and leave arrangements be for State Sector employees in a pandemic?
State Sector employees will be expected to use their leave entitlements (sick, annual or other, with ability to anticipate some sick leave) if they are sick or looking after sick dependents during a pandemic emergency. When sick leave entitlements and advances are exhausted, State Sector employers may provide additional paid special leave where this will contribute to preventing the arrival or spread of a pandemic. For information about use of leave during a pandemic see the State Services Commission website www.ssc.govt.nz.
The provisions of the relevant collective agreements apply.
- What funding can be claimed if children in my home-based ECE network are absent but their educator is well? Funding can be claimed for an absent child, provided that that child was enrolled to receive education from the educator that day, and, your management was going to pay the educator that day.
However, funding cannot be claimed for an absent child, if the child was not enrolled to be with the educator that day and management was not going to pay the educator that day.
- If I have too many staff away from my teacher-led ECE service, we are likely to use all of the 40 discretionary hours/five discretionary days to allow my funding rate to be maintained. Will the Ministry of Education consider extending this provision?
No. Discretionary hours/days are available to support services to maintain the funding level in the absence of registered teachers. The Ministry has provided some flexibility in emergency closure funding to ensure that services can be funded under certain circumstances for up to seven days.
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Overseas travel
- Should I send staff to conferences in affected areas overseas?
At this time, the Ministry of Health is not recommending cancelling or postponing overseas travel. Please follow the advice on the (MFAT) website safe travel website www.safetravel.govt.nz/.