April 14, 2014.
The Ministry of Education has issued a reminder to all Home-based ECE agency providers to make sure that educators are paid and there is documentation to show this.
It seems that there is a problem with some educators not being paid for hours of work and/or not all agencies having an auditable trial to show that payment has in all cases been made.
Under section 309 of the Education Act 1989, Home based agencies must met the following definition:
The provision of education or care, for gain or reward, to fewer than 5 children under the age of 6 (in addition to any child enrolled at school who is the child of the person who provides education or care) in:
· their own home; or
· the home of the person providing the education or care; or
· any other home nominated by the parents of the children
The Ministry says that providers who do not comply with the gain or reward requirement cannot be licensed under the 2008 Regulatory Framework as an ECE service and are not able to claim funding for children.
It has also reminded all ECE providers that their business decisions must meet the requirements of employment-related legislation.