Happy Times Childcare

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.

Background

Happy Times Childcare is a privately owned centre providing all-day education and care. Since ERO’s May 2017 report, the service has undergone a change of ownership and has moved from a provisional to a full licence. There has been a complete change of teaching team in the past year.

Summary of Review Findings

Teachers engage in positive interactions, nurturing reciprocal relationships with children. They practice te reo and tikanga Māori and acknowledge children’s culture and language.

The service is not meeting regulatory standards in a significant number of areas. The curriculum is yet to be consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The design and layout of the service does not support children’s safe and independent access to all spaces. Consistent implementation of health and safety practices is required to meet regulatory compliance. Leaders are yet to implement suitable human resource management practices and develop systems and processes for regular self-review.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

• the service curriculum being consistent with the prescribed curriculum framework
• positive steps being taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children
• the design and layout of the premises supporting effective adult supervision so that children’s access to the licensed space is not unnecessarily limited
• the outdoor activity space, in the under-two’s area, being connected to the indoor activity space and being easily and safely accessed by children
• outdoor surfaces being safe, well-drained and suitably surfaced for a variety of activities
• toilet and associated handwashing/drying facilities intended for use by children being designed and located to allow children capable of independent toileting to access them safely without adult help
• having a space (away from where food is stored, prepared, or eaten) where a sick child can be temporarily kept at a safe distance from other children
• premises, furniture, furnishings, fittings, equipment, and materials being kept safe, hygienic, and maintained in good condition
• adults providing education and care being familiar with relevant emergency drills and carrying these out with children on an at least a three-monthly basis
• parents/caregivers giving prior written approval of the proposed adult: child ratios when children leave the premises on an excursion
• keeping children who become unwell while attending the service at a safe distance from other children
• a record of all medicines given to children attending the service including evidence of parental acknowledgement that the medicine has been given
• adults who administer medicine to children being provided with information and/or training relevant to the task and a record of this training being kept
• having a philosophy statement which guides the service’s operation and expresses the service’s beliefs, values, and attitudes about the provision of early childhood education and care
• having an ongoing process of self-review which helps the service maintain and improve the quality of education and care
• implementing suitable human resource management practices including a system of regular appraisal and provision for professional development
• having an annual plan which identifies ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘when’ in relation to key tasks undertaken each year.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, C1, C11, PF2, PF13, PF20, PF27, PF5, HS1, HS8, HS17, HS26, HS28, HS29, GMA5, GMA6, GMA7, GMA8]

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• a means of drying hands for adults that prevent the spread of infection (PF21)
• having an ample supply of water that is fit to drink always available to children, and older children being able to access this water independently (HS21).

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

8 September 2021 

Information About the Service

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

• having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
• previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
• that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
• that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
• where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

• discussions with those involved in the service
• consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
• observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.