All licensed early childhood services are required to have an annual budget and show ability to continue afford the financial costs of providing a licensed ECE service.
Annual budget
The annual budget must show the service’s estimated revenue and expenses for the year, including at least:
- Staffing costs including leave entitlements.
- Professional development costs.
- Equipment and material costs for on-going purchases of new equipment and consumable materials.
- Operational costs, e.g., daily costs such as electricity, telephone, food purchases.
- Maintenance of the premises as appropriate.
The service must have an annual plan that guides its operation and an annual budget.
The annual plan needs to identify who, what and when in relation to key tasks undertaken each year. The Ministry of Education says that an annual plan is part of good business practice and shows how the service intends to ensure ongoing compliance with all requirements
Who can view the annual budget and plan?
The service’s budget and annual plan is required documentation; therefore, it is expected that the service will make these documents available to parents as appropriate and to Government officials as requested or when exercising powers of entry to the service.
GMA47 1(d) states that adequate information is made available to parents of enrolled children and, where appropriate, to the families or whānau of those children about the operation of the service.
Failing to meet minimum standards
The Ministry of Education needs to know:
- If you are concerned children’s needs are not being met.
- If you are concerned a service is not meeting a minimum legal requirement.
READ MORE: How to make a complaint and your options.
CAUTION: This page and the information here is provided as part of the My ECE Guide to Regulations and Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education Services (The Guide). The Guide does not purport to be a full and accurate interpretation of all statutory provisions relating to early childhood education services. While best efforts have been used in preparing this guide, no representations or warranties of any kind are made and My ECE assumes no liabilities of any kind with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the content. Please note that the Government and Ministry of Education may change, update, or alter any of the requirements at any time. Please help to keep the information on this page up to date by letting us know of changes that need to be made.
Thank you! Kia pai te rā
Reference:
Annual Budget and Who Has a Right to View It. Published in the My ECE Guide to Regulations and Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education Services, prepared by Dr Sarah Alexander and Warwick Marshall.
Last reviewed: 20 November 2022
