Manaaki Childcare Limited

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Manaaki Childcare Limited received its full licence in February 2019. The service owner manages the day-to-day operations of the centre. The teaching team includes six qualified teachers, six support staff and a cook. A high percentage of children on the roll identify as Māori.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is inclusive, and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in the decisions about their learning experiences. The curriculum supports children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour.

The service curriculum provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development – both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.

Compliance

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• a current Fire Evacuation Scheme approved by the New Zealand Fire Service (HS4)
• maintaining records of the time each child attending the service sleeps, and checks made by adults during that time (HS9)
• a documented risk management system (HS12)
• evidence of parent written approval for regular excursions and ratios (HS17)
• evidence of parent permission for any travel by motor vehicle for excursions (HS18)
• written authority from a parent given at enrolment to the use of specific preparations on their child for the period they are enrolled (HS28)
• a policy and procedure outlining that no person on the premises uses or is under the influence of alcohol or any other substance that has a detrimental effect on their functioning or behaviour during the service’s hours of operation (HS33).

The service owner needs to ensure that police vets are completed for each new staff member prior to them starting work with children.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)

Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

29 January 2021

Information About the Service

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

• having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
• previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
• that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
• that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
• where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

• discussions with those involved in the service
• consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
• observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.