Flagstaff Childcare Ltd

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

Flagstaff Childcare Ltd is a privately owned service.  The philosophy emphasises nurturing children to grow and flourish. There are a small number of Māori children attending.  Approximately a half of children attending are Indian.  This is the first ERO review of this service.

Summary of Review Findings

The curriculum is informed by planning and assessment that recognises children’s interests and life contexts. The service provides a language rich environment and acknowledges the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua.

Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, responsive, and reciprocal relationships with children. There are safe and comfortable spaces for infants and toddlers to learn to crawl and walk. Guidance is sort, when necessary, from agencies to enable adults to work effectively with children and their parents.

A philosophy and annual plan guides the service’s operation.

Actions for Compliance

During the review and since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• perishable food is kept at a temperature at or below 4°C

• the procedure for monitoring children’s sleep ensures that children do not have access to food or liquids while in bed

• when children leave the premises on an excursion an assessment and management of risk is undertaken.  Records of excursions include the location and method of travel, assessment and management of risks and the signature of the Person Responsible giving approval for the excursion to take place

• an ample supply of water that is fit to drink is available to children at all times and older children are able to access this water independently

• providing to all parents at enrolment, a copy of Ministry of Health:  Reducing food-related choking for babies and young children at early learning services.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008 PF16, HS9, HS17, HS21 HS22]

Next ERO Review

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

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

2 December 2022

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 regulatory 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)

• relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

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.