- Apply for an early learning service licence or certification
- Introduction to early learning services
- Licences to operate in early childhood education and care
-
Starting a centre-based ECE service
- Early childhood education and care legislation and regulations
- Designing and building your new ECE service premises
- Complying with indoor premises and facilities licensing criteria
- Complying with outdoor premises and facilities licensing criteria
- Equipment for early childhood services
- Governance and management roles and responsibilities
- Preparing for staff employment
- Preparing policies, procedures and processes
- Administration records
- Annual plan and budget
- Fees and funding
- The Early Learning Information (ELI) System
- Required assessments, approvals and registrations
- Applying for a licence
- Guides for starting an early childhood service
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Starting a home-based ECE service
- Early childhood education and care regulations
- Home-based service operating models
- The home-based education and care home environment
- Health and safety standards and emergencies
- Home-based education and care premises and facilities
- Governance and management roles
- Managing your service
- Roles and responsibilities in a home-based education and care service
- Preparing policies, procedures and processes
- Administration records
- Annual plan and budget
- Fees and funding
- The Early Learning Information (ELI) System
- Applying for a licence
- Starting a playgroup
- Starting a puna kōhungahunga (Māori language playgroup)
- Information to assist applicants
- Information to assist home-based applicants
- Useful contact information
On this page
Things to consider
Make some staff areas out of sight of the children to help teachers using the staff area on non-contact time, or for lunch breaks to take a restful break.
Have a separate office space for those involved in centre administration.
Position the office near the entrance to the centre so parents and visitors can make enquiries when they enter and before their child has seen them. This can make it easier for parents and teachers to focus on important, and sometimes confidential, conversations.
Have somewhere to meet separately with parents – this might be a shared office space.
If you also use this space for storage have some good storage and shelving solutions.
See the adult workspace licensing criterion.
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Page updated: 10:34PM 09 August 2026
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