...20 Hours ECE...
How It Works:
If your child is 3, 4 or 5, ASPIRE offer 20 Hours ECE, the cost can be fully subsidised for up to 6 hours a day and up to 20 hours a week.
You can find more information on funding rates in the Funding Handbook.
You can choose to use as many or as few hours of 20 Hours ECE as you want, up to 6 hours a day and 20 hours a week. ASPIRE have a minimum number of 9 hours per week of enrolment as part of our policy.
How to apply:
If your child is 3, 4 or 5, you can apply for 20 Hours ECE when you enrol your child with ASPIRE – or you can do it just before your child turns 3 if they are already enrolled.
Fill in the ASPIRE enrolment agreement. The agreement must include an ‘attestation’, where you write and sign for the days and hours you are claiming as 20 Hours ECE. 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.
The last day that 20 Hours ECE can be claimed up to is the day that your child is enrolled to start at school.
The subsidy is paid directly to ASPIRE. You don’t have to apply separately to the Ministry of Education.
Anyone can apply:
If you have a 3 or 4 year old, 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.
Early childhood education at home:
If you have an educator looking after your child (in their home or yours), you can still apply for 20 Hours ECE. To do this, the educator must be part of a licensed home-based ECE service provider. The Ministry of Education pays the ECE service, not the individual educator.
Changing your child’s hours:
If you change the number of hours your child is in care with your chosen ASPIRE Educator, you must update your enrolment agreement and attestation form. You should also do this if your child is going to be away for a time.
Extra fees:
ASPIRE does not charge extra fees for setting up 20 Hours ECE. ASPIRE can charge fees for hours that are not covered by 20 Hours ECE. For example, if your child is enrolled with an ASPIRE Educator for 7 hours in a day, and 6 of them are 20 Hours ECE, they can charge for one extra hour.
Optional charges:
ASPIRE Educators can ask you to pay optional charges, and these may be classed as a donation. Optional charges must be for the actual costs of providing extra items or services.
The Childcare Subsidy and 20 Hours ECE:
The Childcare Subsidy is for parents whose income is below a certain level. It helps to pay for childcare costs.
Sometimes, you can receive a mix of both the Childcare Subsidy and 20 Hours ECE. This can happen if your Childcare Subsidy is for more than 20 hours a week. For example, if you are entitled to 30 hours Childcare Subsidy and you choose to claim 20 Hours ECE, then you could receive the Childcare Subsidy for the remaining 10 hours.
The Childcare Subsidy cannot be used for the same hours as 20 Hours ECE.
The Childcare Subsidy is looked after by Work and Income. To find out more about the Childcare Subsidy, go to the Working for Families website or call 0800 559 009.
