Fees and Sessions

Cuddly Kiwis Childcare provides funded 20 Hours ECE (Early Childhood Education) for three, four, and five year old children.

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About 20 Hours ECE

• The purpose of 20 Hours ECE is to reduce cost barriers so more children can benefit from participation in ECE (early childhood education).
• 20 Hours ECE is a higher rate of funding based on the full average cost of providing ECE to the regulated standard.
• Under 20 Hours ECE, the government fully funds ECE for up to 6 hours a day and 20 hours per week for eligible children.
• While it is not compulsory to offer 20 Hours ECE, all licensed ECE services and kōhanga reo can offer 20 Hours ECE.

What is the eligibility for 20 hours ECE?

• Eligibility for 20 hours ECE begins on the child’s third birthday and ends on the child’s sixth birthday or when they enrol in school.
• 20 hours ECE is available for up to six hours per day for a maximum of 20 hours per week.
• If you have a 3, 4 or a 5 year old child who is not enrolled at primary school, you can apply for 20 Hours ECE. This is regardless of your income, whether you or your child is a New Zealand resident or citizen, or any other reason. 

How do I apply?

• Hours requested by the parent for 20 hours ECE is included in the Enrolment Form.
• Parents will be given a form to sign for ECE hours if your child turns 3 while attending and fees will change in accordance to this.   Cuddly Kiwis Childcare are part of this program and offers 20 Hours ECE.  
• The subsidy is paid directly to Cuddly Kiwis Childcare. You do not have to apply separately to the Ministry of Education.
• If your child is 3, 4 or 5, you can apply for 20 Hours ECE when you enrol your child at Cuddly Kiwis Childcare or you can do it just before your child turns 3 if they are already enrolled. 
• Fill in the enrolment agreement at Cuddly Kiwis Childcare and you can agree to ‘attest’, where you write and sign for the days and hours you are claiming as 20 Hours ECE. The 20 Hours ECE cannot be claimed until you have completed the attestation. 
• You can choose which hours you want to claim for 20 Hours ECE – it can be for any hours that your child is enrolled. This should corelate to the minimum number of hours and days of enrolment you have chosen as your enrolment package at Cuddly Kiwis Childcare, which can be up to 6 hours per day and up to 20 hours per week.
• As children must attend primary school from the age of 6, the last day that 20 Hours ECE can be claimed is the day before your child’s sixth birthday. 

What If your child goes to another Early Learning Service or kōhanga reo apart from Cuddly Kiwis Childcare?

•  If your child goes to more than one early learning service or kōhanga reo, you can split the hours between them so long as it’s not more than 6 hours a day and 20 hours a week in total.  

* If the below hours are unsuitable, please talk to the Centre Manager for flexibility of hours which can be up to 6 hours per day and up to 20 hours per week. 

This may be granted subject to the availability of space and teacher ratio.