More information
ECC regularly monitors the closure of centres and new centres that open. Since 2023, ECC has identified a concerning trend with the number of total centres in decline. Data is obtained from the Ministry of Education through the ECE Directory and through the list of services that opted into Pay Parity (“attestation for certificated teachers’ salaries”).
Parents and families continue to need childcare options, and birth data and migration data is all positive.
Statistics NZ monitoring of the Consumer Price Index reveals that childcare costs are also increasing for households.
New ECE-specific government policies are considered to be directly contributing to the decline in service numbers, specifically Pay Parity and Network Management.
Why is ECC reporting centre closures?
We will be publicly reporting centre closures on a monthly basis starting in March 2024. This is intended to help raise public awareness, as the negative trend is expected to continue to worsen with major government policies contributing to centres no longer being financially viable.
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