Cozy Corner Educare

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

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Cozy Corner Educare opened in 2020. It is a privately owned and operated education and care service. The centre manager supports staff to provide education and care for children from birth up to six years of age. The multicultural teaching team reflects the cultural diversity of the children attending.

Summary of Review Findings

Teachers engage in meaningful and positive interactions that enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. They respect and acknowledge the aspirations parents and whānau have for their children.

The curriculum is informed by assessment, planning and evaluation that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau, and life contexts. The service’s curriculum provides a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning.

Centre leaders should continue to monitor and review all policies and procedures to ensure that the requirements of the licensing criteria are implemented.

Actions for Compliance

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

• Securing heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage (HS6).
• Ensuring water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60˚C (HS14).
• Documenting a written child protection policy that meets the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 (HS31).
• Ensuring all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

23 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.