Licensing criteria for kōhanga reo

Kōhanga reo run a total immersion te reo Māori whānau (family) programme for mokopuna (young children) from birth to six years of age to be raised within its whānau Māori, where the language of communication will be Māori.

The operation and decision making of each kōhanga reo are the responsibility of the whole whānau within the guidelines set down by Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board. The trust and the kōhanga reo whānau administer the kaupapa to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the mokopuna and the whānau and to ensure the survival of te reo Māori.

Kōhanga reo are currently chartered to Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust and licensed by the Ministry of Education under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008(external link)

The Ministry does not provide guidance for the kōhanga reo licensing criteria. Guidance is available upon request directly from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust.

Contact – Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust(external link)

A copy of the criteria can be downloaded from the right-hand column.

The licensing criteria were last updated in September 2022.

Te Tāpiringa tuatoru : Ngā tūmomo rongoā me te whakamana ā tuhi a ngā matua : Paearu HS28 | Appendix 3: Categories of medicine for criterion HS28

Category (i) medicines

Definition - a non-prescription preparation (such as arnica cream, antiseptic liquid, insect bite treatment spray etc) that is:

  • not ingested;
  • used for the 'first aid' treatment of minor injuries; and
  • provided by the service and kept in the first aid cabinet.

Authority required - a written authority from a parent given at enrolment to the use of specific preparations on their child for the period that they are enrolled. The service must provide (at enrolment, or whenever there is a change) specific information to parents about the Category (i) preparations that will be used.

Category (ii) medicines

Definition - a prescription (such as antibiotics, eye/ear drops etc) or non-prescription (such as paracetamol liquid, cough syrup etc) medicine that is:

  • used for a specific period of time to treat a specific condition or symptom; and
  • provided by a parent for the use of that child only or, in relation to Rongoa Māori (Māori plant medicines), that is prepared by other adults at the service.

Authority required - a written authority from a parent given at the beginning of each day the medicine is administered, detailing what (name of medicine), how (method and dose), and when (time or specific symptoms/circumstances) medicine is to be given.

Category (iii) medicines

Definition - a prescription (such as asthma inhalers, epilepsy medication etc) or non-prescription (such as antihistamine syrup, lanolin cream etc) medicine that is:

  • used for the ongoing treatment of a pre-diagnosed condition (such as asthma, epilepsy, allergic reaction, diabetes, eczema etc); and
  • provided by a parent for the use of that child only.

Authority required - a written authority from a parent given at enrolment as part of an individual health plan, or whenever there is a change, detailing what (name of medicine), how (method and dose), and when (time or specific symptoms/circumstances) the medicine should be given.