Kia ora koutou,

You will be aware that the Government has agreed to help ensure essential workers can access care and supervision for their children. The Ministry of Education initially engaged with three of the largest home-based providers, who to date have facilitated care for approximately 700 children, across 400 families, where alternative caring arrangements couldn’t be made.  Cabinet has agreed to expand the scheme to other home-based providers. To support this MoE have reached out to the wider home-based sector and to date 12 additional providers have expressed an interest in assisting.

To further support essential workers to find care and supervision, MoE have established a dedicated team within the Ministry of Education to help broker care for them.   If there is an essential worker that has not been able to access care for their child/children, the essential worker can contact the Ministry via ECE.Info@education.govt.nz   (Please note: this mailbox may differ to previous advice.).  MoE will then make arrangements for a home-based provider to contact the essential worker.