Hon David Seymour
Minister for Regulation

Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden.

“Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research bodies, and others connected to the sector, in addition to various face-to-face meetings across the country,” says Mr Seymour.

“The sector review was initiated following concern from parents about there being a lack of affordable options, and from the ECE sector highlighting the impact regulations were having on their ability to deliver for communities.

“The next step will see the Ministry analyse the feedback and provide a report to me. This will be followed by a Cabinet paper seeking decisions on the review’s recommendations and proposed actions. These are expected to be finished by the end of the year.

“While written submission are being analysed, themes are already emerging from the face-to-face engagements. Many parents say they want more types of early childhood education, easier access, and more affordable options. Some parents also want fewer children per teacher.

“People who work within the ECE sector have confirmed they would like to spend less time on compliance-based paperwork that does not benefit children’s learning or care.

“ECE service providers raised issues with the regulatory framework, its implementation, and how it affects their ability to deliver their service. They’ve said that requirements are being inconsistently applied, and that there is confusion between what is a requirement and what is guidance. Several service providers said they know they are not able to meet the demand in their communities.

“As the first of many sector reviews, this is outlining how the Ministry intends to continue – hearing directly from the people affected and providing solutions to the problems outlined.”

Mr Seymour says that New Zealand has become one of the most regulated countries in the OECD, going from the second least regulated economies in 1998 to being ranked 20th this year. In 2015, an NZIER study estimated the cost for businesses to comply with tax and regulatory requirements at $5 billion, or around 1.3% of GDP, over half of which was not including tax regulation.

“It’s time for a spring clean, and through these reviews we can get back to enabling New Zealanders to thrive unhindered by unnecessary, costly, and limiting regulations that are obstacles to success.”

Note: The information gathered from the Ministry’s face to face engagement, and information from the engagement hub will inform a Cabinet paper, produced at the review’s conclusion. 

The review is focusing on areas including education, health, safety, child protection, food safety, buildings and workplaces as they relate to the early childhood education sector. It will not include funding, which will be separately reviewed.

Many submitters talked about the funding system. This is not in this review's scope; relevant information will be passed on to the Ministry of Education for the planned funding review.

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