About the early learning regulatory review

The Ministry of Education began a comprehensive review of the early learning regulatory system in 2020. The review’s purpose was to ensure that the regulatory system was clear and fit for purpose to support high quality educational outcomes for our youngest learners. It was also designed to enhance the Ministry’s role as regulator and steward of the system.

The Review was planned to be done in 3 tranches.

Tranche 1

The main aim of tranche 1 was to address some of the immediate gaps in our current system including those that pose a risk to children’s health, safety and wellbeing. The final regulations for tranche 1 were announced on 14 July 2021.

The changes in this tranche mostly impact new early learning services, service providers that have a change in circumstance and services that have compliance issues.

Tranche 2

Tranche 2 covered more complex areas that require more policy work. This includes addressing several commitments in the Early Learning Action Plan 2019–2029 and the Review of Home-based Early Childhood Education. Tranche 2 changes were largely completed in 2022 and 2023.

Tranche 3

Tranche 3 was intended to include:

• work to improve adult-to-child ratios (from the Early Learning Action Plan)
• reviewing the early learning regulatory system, likely to also include a complete rewrite of the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 (the regulations).

Work on reviewing the regulatory system has been superseded by the ECE regulatory sector being undertaken by the new Ministry for Regulation.

Find out more about the ECE regulatory sector review on this page.

Early learning regulatory work

Work to improve adult-to-child ratios is on hold pending further Government decisions.

Advice provided by the Ministry of Education

You'll find below the advice we provided for the Early Learning Regulatory Review.