Childcare for essential workers

Where possible, essential workers need to make their own arrangements for childcare from Thursday 26 March, due to limited capacity.
 
We know this will not be possible for everyone. Alternative arrangements have been made so essential workers can access government funded, in home childcare and continue to work.
 
Please let essential workers in your organisation know that they qualify for this support if needed.

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Please share the following message with your essential workers and direct them to the covid19.govt.nz website, where more details will be provided as available today.
 
What your essential workers need to know when making their own arrangements
 
Essential workers will need to use their existing networks for in home care, for example a neighbour, relative, friend or current carer/nanny who can come to their house, or provide childcare in their own home. There are Public Health rules you need to comply with:

• The person providing care of your children of essentially become an extension of your self-isolating household group
• This group must remain the same for the whole 4-week period
• The carer should not care for children from other households (other than their own) over the same period
• If a child or carer becomes unwell, they must stay at home

If your essential workers do not have access to childcare through their own networks
 
If your essential workers are unable to access childcare to perform their essential service, the government has agreed that it will fund other licensed childcare providers (for example through PORSE, Barnados and Edubase / Home Grown Kids) to provide in home care to the children aged 0-14 of essential workers. The carer would be subject to the same Public Health rules as set out above.
 
For the purposes of providing care to children of essential workers, the in home carer will be classified as an essential worker.
 
Initial list of contact details for providers
Barnados covid19enquiries@barnardos.org.nz 0800 BARNARDOS (0800 227 627)
Edubase / Home Grown Kids 0508 44 54 37 info@hgk.co.nz
PORSE 0800 023 456
 
More information on other providers, eg. OSCAR, will be updated on the covid19.govt.nz website today.


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