Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Social Security Act 2018

Obligations - Beneficiaries’ obligations - Specific obligations: social obligations in relation to dependent children

131: Attendance of dependent child aged 3 to 5 years at early childhood education programme

You could also call this:

“Children aged 3 to 5 must attend early learning programmes”

You need to make sure that your child who is between 3 and 5 years old goes to an early childhood education programme. This means you must do everything you can to:

  1. Sign up your child for an approved early childhood education programme. The government has a list of programmes that are okay to use.

  2. Make sure your child goes to the programme as much as they’re supposed to. There are rules about how often your child needs to go.

You don’t have to do this if your child is already going to a regular school. A regular school is one that the government says is okay for children to attend.

If you want to know more about what counts as an approved programme or a regular school, or how often your child needs to go, you can look at section 430 of this law.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6783366.

Topics:
Education and learning > School education
Family and relationships > Children and parenting
Previous

130: Obligations of spouse or partner of beneficiary in relation to dependent children of spouse or partner, or

“Responsibilities for your partner's children when they get government help”

Next

132: Attendance of dependent child aged 5 or 6 years at early childhood education programme or registered school, or

“School or early education required for 5 and 6-year-olds”

Part 3 Obligations
Beneficiaries’ obligations: Specific obligations: social obligations in relation to dependent children

131Attendance of dependent child aged 3 to 5 years at early childhood education programme

  1. A person to whom this section applies must take all reasonable steps to ensure that each dependent child aged 3 to 5 years—

  2. is enrolled in an approved early childhood education programme (as that term is defined in regulations made under section 430); and
    1. attends that programme in the manner and to the minimum extent prescribed by regulations made under section 430.

      1. This section does not apply if the dependent child is enrolled at and regularly attends a registered school (as defined in regulations made under section 430).

      Compare