How to Choose a Childcare Centre: 10 Questions NZ Parents Should Ask

The ten questions

1. 1.What are your teacher-to-child ratios, and how do they compare to the licensing minimum? Lower ratios mean more one-on-one attention.
2. 2.How many of your teachers are fully qualified and certificated, and how long have they been at the centre? Teacher turnover tells you a lot about a workplace.
3. 3.Can I read your latest ERO report? Every licensed centre is reviewed by the Education Review Office and reports are public at ero.govt.nz — a confident centre will offer theirs.
4. 4.How do you handle settling in? Look for gradual, unhurried transitions with pre-start visits, not a fixed one-size-fits-all policy.
5. 5.What does a typical day look like, and how does Te Whāriki — New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum — shape it?
6. 6.What will my child eat? Ask whether meals are cooked on site, see a sample menu, and ask how allergies are managed.
7. 7.How will you communicate with me? Daily updates, photos, and honest conversations at pick-up matter more than any app.
8. 8.What is the outdoor space like, and how often do children actually use it?
9. 9.What are the full fees once 20 Hours ECE and any optional charges are applied? Ask for a written weekly figure for your exact days and hours.
10. 10.How do you support the transition to school? A structured school-readiness programme in the final year makes a measurable difference.

Trust the visit, not the brochure

When you tour a centre, watch the room rather than the presentation. Are children engaged and comfortable? Do teachers get down to the children’s level and speak to them warmly? Do the teachers seem happy? Ten minutes of honest observation tells you more than any pamphlet.

Visit at least two or three centres before deciding, and take your child to the final contenders — their reaction to the space and the people is real data.

See it for yourself

We would love to be one of the centres you compare. Lilchamps is a family-owned group of centres across Auckland and Wellington — including dedicated Montessori preschool environments at Highland Park and Mission Heights — and every centre welcomes visits. Bring this list of questions with you; we enjoy answering them.