Parents FAQs
Read on for answers to questions which parents have asked us in the past. If your question is not answered here or you would like to know more please contact us here or call us on 0508 678 910.
Is Bright Futures Home-based Care & Learning the best care for my child or children?
Many parents have chosen Bright Futures because our Educarers can provide their child with the special attention he/she needs to be cared for and to learn in the safety, comfort and familiar surroundings of a home.
Do you participate in the government’s 20 hours ECE for 3 and 4 year olds?
Yes this applies to a maximum of 6 hours per day for your child up to maximum 20 hours per week.
How do I enrol my child?
You can complete a childcare enquiry form here and we will arrange the enrolment paperwork from there. We will arrange a meeting(s) for you with the best available Educarer(s) to match with you and your child or children’s needs.
How quickly can Bright Futures arrange care for my child or children?
We pride ourselves on making arrangements quick, easy and practical. Provided we have spaces available and you are able to meet with one or more of our Educarers at a suitable time then care can usually be arranged immediately.
Who is eligible for a WINZ subsidy?
Work & Income childcare subsidy rates are based on your weekly income before tax and the number of children in the family. We will discuss your eligibility with you when you enrol your child or children and are only too happy to help you complete the Work & income form if required. For more information click here to go to the Work & Income website.
You say Bright Futures offers learning as well as childcare – what do you mean by this?
All Bright Futures Educarers follow the Te Whariki curriculum as set out by the Ministry of Education. These guidelines cover Well Being (Mana Atua), Communication (Mana Reo), Belonging (Mana Whenua), Exploration (Mana Aoturoa) and Contribution (Mana Tangata). We also use the ‘Learning Stories’ development programme which is well known for it’s use of photographs and illustrations to help children understand and communicate relationships between themselves, their family and their carer..
What training have Bright Futures Educarers had?
The quality of Educarers is very important to Bright Futures. Before taking on an Educarer, Bright Futures must be certain the person has early childhood education or home-based care training or what we believe is the equivalent experience to any training we would provide. We encourage all our Educarers to continuously upskill including supporting them to achieve their Level 4 certificate in ECE. All Educarers must hold a current First Aid Certificate.
What is Bright Futures’ policy around medication?
No medication will be given without the permission from you, the parent/caregiver, and the completion of the Medication form.
What happens if my child or children are unwell?
That’s OK, children are unwell from time-to-time. If your child or children are unwell then you need to let us know that they will not be going to the Educarer’s home as soon as possible. Ministry of Education regulations require us to exclude all children who are sick in order to protect the other children and the educarer. If you child or children become unwell at the Educarer’s home then we will contact you to arrange for them to be picked up.
What happens if the Educarer is unwell?
Like children, Educarers also are unwell from time to time. If this happens we will contact you to let you know. In most cases we can arrange alternative care with another Bright Futures Educarer if you require it.
Still got questions? Contact one of our Visiting Teachers to talk them through.
“Bright Futures childcare and learning is a service of Napier Family Centre, an award winning not for profit social service agency. Any surpluses we make go right back in, to help provide a better service to our local communities.”