ECE Funding Handbook

Welcome to the ECE Funding Handbook. This handbook is issued under section 548(5) of the Education and Training Act 2020.

Funding of certain services and certified playgroups – New Zealand Legislation(external link)

The funding paid to licensed services is paid subject to the terms and conditions set out under this handbook and must be complied with. The terms used in this handbook are based in the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.

This handbook is designed to be a 'one-stop-shop' of everything you need to know about early childhood funding, including:

  • the ECE Funding Subsidy
  • 20 Hours ECE funding
  • equity funding
  • the annual top-up for isolated services.

This information does not apply to certificated playgroups

The information in the Funding Handbook does not apply to certificated playgroups.

These services should contact their Ministry regional office for more information.

Local Ministry offices

Download the ECE Funding Handbook

If you would like to print a copy of this handbook, refer to the list of downloads in the contents section where you will find downloadable PDF versions of each chapter.

ECE Funding Handbook downloads

11-2 Funding claim audits and record keeping audits

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  • Purpose of the funding claim audit
    • The purpose of a funding claim audit is to:

      • verify that the service is claiming and receiving the correct amount of funding
      • verify that a service is meeting the record keeping requirements
      • provide advice and assistance to services about record keeping requirements.
  • Documentation required
    • You must supply the following documentation, for the period for which you are being audited, to the Ministry’s Resourcing Auditors as part of the funding claim audit:

      • RS7 Return
      • Attendance Registers
      • Enrolment Records
      • Staffing Records
      • Copies of practising certificates and Early Childhood qualifications (Teacher-Led services only)
      • Copies of New Zealand primary teacher qualifications (Teacher-Led services only)
      • Copies of overseas qualifications and the NZQA assessment of those qualifications (Teacher-Led services only)
      • Copies of the letter of registration with an ECE or primary endorsement from the New Zealand Teaching Council (Teacher-Led services only)
      • Completed EC12 and EC13 Forms
      • Audited general purpose financial statements or special purpose financial report.
      • Records that demonstrate the employment relationship and the pay rate of the employed certificated teacher (education and care services and hospital-based services only).
      • Fee information that confirms what parents are charged for their children’s attendance/enrolment.
  • Services will be audited on
    • Services of all types will be audited to verify the accuracy of their funded child hour entitlement claims including record keeping requirements for 20 Hours ECE.

      Services that are required to keep a Staff Hour Count (education and care services, hospital-based services and all-day kindergartens), will also be audited on:

      • Certificated and Other Teacher Hour claims
      • qualifications of certificated teachers

      Education and care services and hospital-based services that attest to paying all employed certificated teachers at least the amount specified in the Base Salary Scale described in in Appendix 4 must hold verification of this attestation. This must include copies of signed employment contracts, letter of appointment and letter(s) confirming changes in salaries paid to certificated teachers, including certificated relievers.

      Education and care services that attest to paying all employed certificated teachers according to the criteria for the salary scales described in Section 3-B-2 must hold verification of this attestation and evidence of the factors used to determine a teacher’s initial and current salary step. This must include copies of signed employment contracts, letter of appointment and letter(s) confirming changes in salaries paid to certificated teachers, including certificated relievers. It must also include evidence of service recognition, previous relevant work experience, salary progression and other factors used to determine a teacher’s initial and current salary step See Section 3-B-2 for further information.

  • The audit visit and report
    • The Resourcing Auditor will contact your service before the visit takes place, advising the time of the visit and the documentation you will need to have available.

      Funding claim audits of home-based care networks will take place in the area in which the network operates.

      An audit of a centre will generally take a full day, although sometimes longer periods may be required. The Resourcing Auditor will need a quiet place in which to work and access to a staff member who can answer any questions that arise.

      At the end of the visit the Resourcing Auditor will provide a verbal report of the findings to the licensee or the licensee’s authorised delegate.

      A formal written report will be sent to the service provider contact person. 

  • Funding and staffing adjustment
    • If the audit determines the service has been incorrectly funded the service may have their funding adjusted in the next funding cycle.

  • Funding and attestation adjustments
    • Education and care services or hospital-based services who are found to have not met their attestation obligation for the Base Salary Scale described in Appendix 4 may have their funding adjusted to the applicable 0 – 24% base funding rate.

      Education and care services or hospital-based services who are found to have not met their attestation obligation for Step 1 to 6 of the salary scale described in Appendix 4 may have their funding adjusted to the applicable base funding rate.

      The following table details how the funding rate will be determined based on the salary requirements met by the service:

      Salary requirements

      Adjusted funding rate

      No steps

      0 – 24% Base funding rates

       

      Base Salary

      Step 1

      Base funding rates

       

      Funding band determined by the proportion of certificated teacher hours

       

      Education and care services or hospital-based services who are found to have not met their attestation obligation for Extended Parity Salary Scale described in Appendix 4 may have their funding adjusted.

      The following table details how the funding rate will be determined based on the salary requirements met by the service: 

      Salary requirements

      Adjusted funding rate

      No steps

      0 – 24% Base funding rates

       

      Base Salary

      (Step 1)

      Base funding rates

       

      Funding band determined by the proportion of certificated teacher hours

       

      Parity Salary Scale

      (Step 1 to 6)

      Parity funding rates

      Funding band determined by the proportion of certificated teacher hours

       

      Education and care services or hospital-based services who are found to have not met their attestation obligation for the Full Parity Salary Scale described in Appendix 4 may have their funding adjusted.

      The following table details how the funding rate will be determined based on the salary requirements met by the service:

      Salary requirements

      Adjusted funding rate

      No Steps

      0 – 24% Base funding rates

       

      Base Salary

      Base funding rates

       

      Funding band determined by the proportion of certificated teacher hours

       

      Parity Salary Scale

      Parity funding rates

       

      Funding band determined by the proportion of certificated teacher hours

       

      Extended Parity Salary Scale

      Extended Parity rates

       

      Funding band determined by the proportion of certificated teacher hours.