Management and administration

22 Management and administration standard

1. The management and administration standard requires the service provider for every certified playgroup to ensure that:
   1. the playgroup is effectively managed in accordance with good management practices; and
   2. the playgroup is managed in a collaborative way with the parents and caregivers involved; and
   3. appropriate written procedures and records are developed, maintained, and made available when appropriate.
2. All written procedures and records required by subclause (1)(c) must be made available by the service provider for inspection:
   1. at any reasonable time on request by a parent or member of the family or caregiver of a child attending the playgroup:
   2. at any time on request by any person exercising powers or carrying out functions under Part 2 of the Act.
3. Subclause (2) does not limit any rights of access conferred by law to any document referred to in subclause (1)(c).

MA1 Statement of operation

Criteria

An agreed statement about the operation of the playgroup is available for people to read.

Documentation required

An agreed statement of group aims and information outlining:

• the group’s philosophy
• days and times of operation
• the role of adults
• costs such as fees or donations, and
• contact numbers for people seeking information about the group.

Rationale/intent

This criterion is intended to provide parents and caregivers with information about the operation of the playgroup.

Guidance

A statement giving parents and caregivers key information about your playgroup does not have to be complicated – as long as the main points are covered, you can make it as simple or detailed as you want. The following types of things should be included.

The group’s kaupapa | philosophy

This is the section of your operation statement where you explain the purpose of your group and what you want it to achieve for children and their parents and caregivers. This will include the shared beliefs and values that are important to parents and caregivers in the playgroup. Every statement of philosophy will be different, but you might want to include:

• the purpose for setting up the playgroup
• what you want to achieve day-by-day
• what values are really important for your playgroup.

An example of one playgroup’s philosophy is: “We believe children should have the opportunity to meet and play with other children in their community.”

Some playgroups may have more specific purposes like promoting language and cultural values.

Days and time of operation

Include a statement about when and where the group meets.

Role of adults

Adults need to know:

• the ground rules for attending playgroup sessions
• the positions of responsibility playgroup need to be managed effectively
• what is involved in these positions and how they are filled.

Costs such as fees or donations

Think about the costs to run the playgroup. Some playgroups are run by koha or donations, some have a regular fee, and others are free. It must be clear to parents and caregivers how much it will cost them to attend playgroup.

Contact numbers for people seeking information about the group

It is useful to include phone numbers for key people who can be contacted for information about the playgroup. Make sure this is kept up-to-date and is somewhere easy to find. Make it clear if the phone number is for the playgroup premises or for the key contact people. Think about specifying a time when these people can be contacted.

Playgroups must provide the Ministry of Education with name and address for a funding contact person and keep them informed when changes occur. This is the person that funding claim forms and other information are sent to.

You will need to think about how you make your statement of operation available for people to read. Some playgroups put their statement of operation up on the wall while others provide parents and caregivers with written information (on a pamphlet or newsletter) when they first come to playgroup, so they know what to expect.

A statement giving parents key information about your playgroup does not have to be complicated – as long as the main points are covered, you can make it as simple or detailed as you want. Some playgroups put their statement of operation up on the wall for all parents and visitors to read, while others provide parents with written information (on a pamphlet or newsletter) when they first come to playgroup, so they know what to expect.

MA2 Parent involvement

Criteria

Parents and caregivers of children attending are given opportunities to discuss the group’s operation and be involved in decision making.

Documentation required

A record of the opportunities provided for participation by parents and caregivers in decision making, including any meetings held and the decisions made.

Rationale/intent

The intent of the criteria is to involve parents and caregivers in the operation of the playgroup.

Guidance

There will be a number of approaches to making sure parents and caregivers can be involved in making decisions about the playgroup’s operation and in the decision-making process.

Some of these will be more formal as in the case of regular monthly meetings and others will be less formal as in meeting over a shared meal or coffee. As well, you may want to display information on notice boards or use surveys and questionnaires to gain information.

You are required to keep a record showing you have provided opportunities for parents and caregivers to contribute to decision-making processes. If meetings are held, recording attendance and decisions and then providing minutes of the meeting could be considered a record. If surveys or questionnaires are used, keep a copy of the collated responses and how you have provided feedback to group members about any actions taken.

MA3 Group supervision

Criteria

All parents and caregivers at the playgroup share responsibility for the safety and supervision of all children attending.

Rationale/intent

This criterion aims to ensure children attending without a parent or caregiver are supervised and supported.

Guidance

A key feature of playgroups is the high ratio of adults to children.

Read about the Ratio Standard (Regulation 19) which requires that more than half of the children attending on any occasion have a parent or caregiver present in the same play area at the same time; and the total number of children attending on any occasion is not greater than 4 times the number of parents and caregivers present in the same play area at the same time. There is an expectation that the adults attending playgroup are all collectively responsible for the children at playgroup and engage with the children’s activities.

Some things that your group will need to consider:

• What is our playgroup’s policy on parents and caregivers staying?
• Do we expect all parents and caregivers to stay all the time?
• What can adults do when they are at playgroup?
• How do parents and caregivers nominate a caregiver?
• How do we ensure there are sufficient adults in any one area to at least meet the minimum ratios standard and for meaningful interactions?

Having a roster of jobs can be helpful for the day-to-day running of a playgroup. A roster lets everyone know who is doing what and helps a playgroup session run smoothly.

Download an example of one playgroup's roster and job descriptions below.

MA4 Information shared

Criteria

Information is shared with the parents and caregivers of children attending, including:

• financial information about the group’s operation; and
• information received/sought from relevant agencies or services.

Rationale/intent

The criterion aims to ensure that parents and caregivers are well informed about the playgroup’s financial management and have access to other information like other community and service agencies.

Guidance

The Playgroup funding handbook sets out the conditions on which funding payments are made to playgroups.

Playgroup funding handbook

Financial information about the group’s operation needs to be shared with parents and caregivers to assist the playgroup in making budget decisions and provide transparency and accountability. This includes keeping good financial records and having these available for anyone to see.

Information to parents and caregivers can be provided in different ways such as parent information sheets, newsletters or on a notice board.

Playgroups have access to a range of organisations that support families, like Plunket, Barnardos, Ministry of Social Development (MSD), Rural Education Activities Programmes (REAP), local schools, councils and community networks such as churches. Information from these organisations could be made available to parents and caregivers.

MA5 Enrolment records

Criteria

Enrolment and attendance records are maintained for children attending.

Documentation required

1. Enrolment records, showing at least:
   • child’s name, gender and date of birth
   • parent’s home address and phone number
   • emergency contact phone number
   • ethnicity (including iwi affiliations as appropriate).
2. Attendance records, showing at least the child’s full name and days attended.

Rationale/intent

Well maintained enrolment and attendance records provide evidence for community and Crown funding.

They are also an indicator of good management and administration practices necessary to ensure the safety of the children attending.

Guidance

Your playgroup will need to develop a system to make sure enrolment and attendance records are maintained and reviewed.

Attendance records must be marked daily for safety reasons and in order to keep accurate records for funding claims.

It would be useful to develop a practice of reviewing enrolment and attendance records regularly and filing enrolment records of children who have left or have not attended for a considerable period of time.

Doing this every few months can help identify who is still part of the group. Your group may want to develop this as part of a roster system. For example, every second month you could check enrolment records against roll books. You may also want to phone parents and caregivers who are longer attending to enable you to maintain accurate records.

Below are some examples of an enrolment form and attendance record. The examples include mandatory requirement. You could consider adding information, changing the layout, wording, titles and so on to suit your own playgroup.

The Ministry of Education collects information annually from all playgroups about hours of operation, and age, ethnicity and gender of children attending. This annual statistics form (RS61PG) is sent out to playgroups in June each year. Accurate enrolment and attendance records will make it easier to complete this form.

MA6 Safety checking

Criteria

[Paid workers only]

Before a person is employed or engaged as a children's worker, as defined in the Children's Act 2014, a safety check as required by that Act must be completed.

A detailed record of each component of the safety check must be kept, and the date on which each step was taken must be recorded, including the date of the risk assessment required to be completed after all relevant information is obtained.

These records must be kept by, or available to, the service provider as long as the person is employed or engaged.

Every child’s worker must be safety checked every 3 years. Safety checks may be carried out by the employer or another person or organisation acting on their behalf.

Documentation required

1. A written procedure for safety checking all children’s workers before employment or engagement of the worker commences that meets the safety checking requirements of the Children's Act 2014.
2. A record of all safety checks and the results.

Intent

Consistent robust safety checking helps assess whether people might pose a risk to children.

Guidance

Playgroup service providers are required to meet the safety checking requirements of the Children’s Act 2014. Safety checking should be part of a recruitment process for all roles that involve contact with children. 

The following links take you to more detailed guidance for safety checking and 2 tools that can assist you in completing this process – a list of actions to support you through the steps and a spreadsheet for collating your documentation of the checks.

Safety checking general guidance

Who needs to be safety checked?

The Children's Act 2014 specifies who needs to be safety checked. You can read this in section 23 of the Children's Act 2014.

Children’s Act 2014, Section 23 – New Zealand Legislation

Paid supervisors/coordinators working in playgroups need to be safety checked if any children attend without a parent or guardian present. Volunteers, for example parents attending with their children, do not need to be safety checked. 

The safety check must be completed by the employing organisation (which may be the playgroup itself). The playgroup needs to confirm that the safety check has been completed if the safety check has been done by the employing organisation.

Components of the safety check

Full requirements for safety checking are set out in the Children's (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015.

Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015 – New Zealand Legislation

Safety checking includes the collection and consideration of a range of information about the person.

A safety check is made up of 7 components:

1. verification of identity (including previous identities)
2. an interview
3. information about work history
4. referee information
5. information from any relevant professional organisation or registration body
6. a New Zealand police vet
7. a risk assessment.

The risk assessment involves an evaluation of all information collected to assess if there is any risk to the children’s safety. For example, is a driving offence relevant to the requirements of the role or going to pose a risk to children? Would this information mean you should or shouldn’t employ or engage the person? You must take into account the guidance we have provided in your risk assessment.

The publication Safer Recruitment, Safer Children provides best practice guidance and Children’s worker safety checking under the Children's Act 2014 provides advice for organisations interpreting and applying the safety checking regulations.

New children’s worker

A safety check of a new children’s worker requires all 7 components to be completed.

Existing children’s worker

A safety check of an existing children’s worker requires the following 4 of the 7 components to be completed: 

• 1. verification of identity (including previous identities), 
• 5. information from any relevant professional organisation or registration body, 
• 6. a New Zealand police vet, and 
• 7. a risk assessment.

An existing children’s worker is someone you have continuously employed since before 1 July 2015.

Periodic rechecking

Periodic rechecking of all children’s workers requires the following 4 of the 7 components to be completed:

• 1. that the person hasn’t changed their name and if so reconfirmation of their identity, 
• 5. information from any relevant professional organisation or registration body, 
• 6. a New Zealand police vet, and 
• 7. a risk assessment.

The Ministry has prepared flow charts which explain the checks that must be completed on adults in specific roles.

Certificated teachers

Playgroup supervisors/coordinators who hold a current practising certificate will be police vetted by the Teaching Council as part of issuing and renewing the person’s practising certificate.

If the Teaching Council has issued or renewed a practising certificate, they will have considered them to have a satisfactory vet. Playgroups can choose to rely on this or carry out their own police vet.

More information is available on the Police vetting page.

Police vetting

The employing organisation must carry out all of the other components of the safety checking process for certificated teachers.

It must also:

• meet the teacher in person
• check a primary identification document
• check a specified form of photographic identification
• check that the name on the practising certificate matches the name on the person’s identity documentation
• check the Teaching Council’s online register for the latest updates to the teacher’s registration and practising certificate status
• undertake a risk assessment.

Find a registered teacher – Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand

When people need to be safety checked

You cannot employ or engage a person as a new children’s worker until the safety check has been completed.

Playgroups/employers cannot rely on a safety check done by a different employer (either current or previous) as the check was not done on their behalf. They must carry out all of the components themselves.

After 1 July 2018, you cannot continue to employ an existing core children’s worker until the safety check has been completed.

After 1 July 2019, you cannot continue to employ an existing non-core children’s worker until the safety check has been completed.

Periodic rechecking must be done every 3 years.

Umbrella organisation carrying out safety checks

If an organisation (for example a church or the Salvation Army) doing the safety checks is the employer for staff at multiple playgroups, then any of their playgroups can use the children’s workers who have been safety checked by that employer.

Relying on safety checking completed by another organisation on your behalf

Where some or all components of the safety check have been completed by another organisation on a service’s behalf, the playgroup or employing organisation is responsible for confirming that these components have been completed, and that a full safety check has been done.

If the playgroup chooses to rely on a safety check completed on their behalf, we recommend that they:

• Seek permission from the person who is being safety checked for the information to be shared. Permission could be sought by the person or organisation completing the safety check before it is undertaken, or by the playgroup prior to requesting the information.
• Prior to the safety check, obtain confirmation from the person or organisation that they are undertaking the safety check on your behalf.
• Obtain in writing from the person or organisation completing the safety check that they have done this to the standard set out in the Children's Act 2014.
• Complete the identity check and risk assessment for all children’s workers, even if these have already been completed by another person or organisation.
• Keep records about the safety checking of children’s workers they engage or employ.

Responsibility for safety checking always rests with the employing or contracting organisation. This means playgroup should exercise due diligence when relying on checks undertaken by others. Things to consider include:

• How long ago the safety check was done.
• The purpose of the safety check that was done (for example what role).

Workforce restriction and core worker exemption

The Children's Act 2014 introduces a new children’s workforce restriction, which prohibits Playgroups from employing or engaging people with a specified offence as core workers, unless they hold a Core Worker Exemption.

A specified offence means an offence identified in Schedule 2 of the Children's Act 2014.

Children’s Act 2014, Schedule 2 – New Zealand Legislation

Individuals prohibited from being employed or engaged in a core worker role under the workforce restriction can apply for a Core Worker Exemption.

Core Worker Exemptions – Te Kāhui Kāhu

Core Worker Exemption enquiries, guidance for employers – Oranga Tamariki [PDF, 276KB]

Employers will be able to confirm whether a person holds a Core Worker Exemption.

Short-term emergencies

Playgroups may employ a children’s worker they have previously police vetted and whose vet is current, without completing the remaining components of the safety check, to manage short-term emergencies.

If a playgroup considers that an emergency or unexpected situation has arisen that increases risks to children, they may engage or employ a children’s worker to reduce those risks without completing all components of the safety check, for up to 5 consecutive working days, as long as the employee has a current police vet.

However, in the interests of children’s safety, we recommend that playgroups begin the full safety checking process as soon as possible in an emergency or unexpected situation.

Screening service for early learning service owner operators who are children’s workers

A screening service is available to undertake safety checks for specified groups of children’s workers.

This service has been established to provide third party safety checks for children’s workers in the health, education and social development sectors who are self-employed or sole practitioners.

In the education sector, this screening service has been approved for early learning service owner-operators.

• Anyone who works with children must be safety checked.
• You may choose to use this approved screening service, but you are not obliged to do so. You can conduct your checks through another service.

There is a cost to applicants for this service. To find out more, go to CV Check.

Children’s Worker Safety Check – CVCheck NZ

Documentation guidance

Under Section 39(3) of the Children's Act 2014, service providers are required to be able to provide details on any safety check done on a person and their work history including:

1. how their identity was confirmed and
2. all information provided during the safety check and
3. the risk assessment and
4. the date or dates on which the person was engaged or employed by the organisation and
5. the nature of the work the person was/is engaged in.

Children’s Act 2014, Section 39 – New Zealand Legislation

Evidence of all children’s worker safety checks must be kept for at least as long as the children’s worker is employed or engaged, then securely destroyed. All information must be provided to the Ministry of Education, or any other relevant agency, on request.

The result of the safety check is confidential and the service provider and only those staff delegated with responsibilities that would require them to access the information should be able to do so.

Information needs to be stored appropriately. Typically, screening information will be kept on a person’s personnel file. Files should be stored in a secure location with access only available for appropriate staff.

Once information is no longer required to be retained, it must be securely destroyed.