Licensed early childhood services that are not able to open, as they are affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, may claim emergency closure funding without gaining approval from their local Te Mahau office from Monday 13 February to Sunday 19 February.

Funding can be claimed using the emergency closure (EC) code in your Student Management System (SMS). Through this code, funding will be claimed for all children who are permanently enrolled at your service on the affected day.

If your service is unable to operate after Sunday 19 February, emergency closure approval is required from your local Te Mahau office.

If your service remains open for children, funding may be claimed as normal. No emergency closure code is required. 

Home-based services in regions that are affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, may claim funding if the home of an educator is unavailable to provide care due to weather related damage.

Funding can be claimed by marking a child as being absent.

Educator absences do not need to be recorded during the Monday 13 February to Sunday 19 February period.

Absence funding may be claimed as normal for children who do not attend if your service is open. 

The normal dual enrolment rules apply. Children may be enrolled at more than one early childhood education (ECE) service. However, funding cannot be claimed by two services for the same hours of attendance. Parents/guardians must attest that their child is not enrolled at another service for the same times.

In a dual enrolment situation, funding may only be claimed by the service at which the child was present.

The normal funding rules apply.

If a child is unable to attend a service due to reasons outside the control of the parent/guardian, one week of absences will be funded if there is a signed and dated enrolment agreement stating the intended start date.

A parent/guardian also needs to provide a letter, email or text documenting the reason for the child’s absence.