The Government is restarting childcare for workers in Alert Level 4 businesses and services, which was available during last year’s national lockdown.

Workers who have children aged up to 13-years-old can access free care, so they are able to continue to provide the essential services we need during the current lockdown.

This is for the workers in Alert Level 4 businesses and services, and other exempted services such as fire and emergency and border workers.

The scheme is also only for those Level 4 workers who do not have childcare in place – parents are expected to use their own private arrangements where possible.

A list of 32 providers, with national coverage, is now available for parents to contact.

These providers may offer options for childcare under the scheme either in the child’s home, or in the carer’s home.  The scheme aims to provide as much flexibility as possible for those workers who need it.

Just like last lockdown, these are all licensed services that usually provide home-based early childhood education – so all the safety checks have been done. And, just like last time, each carer will be limited to caring for children from a total of one family only.

Note: The funding is available for childcare provision where there is no other adult in the worker’s household who can care for the child, and the carer does not normally live at the same address as the worker.

More information, including how to contact a provider, can be found at the following link:  Childcare for Workers of Alert Level 4 Business or Services Scheme – Education in New Zealand