National to put childhood education regulations on hold

NATIONAL BUSINESS REVIEW: The National Party says it will put a new round of regulations for the early childhood education sector on hold for six months if it wins the election.

The regulations which impose some new requirements such as compulsory sleeping rooms are due to take effect on December 1.

But National's early childhood education (ECE) spokeswoman Paula Bennett said her party opposed many of the new regulations and it would put them on hold for six months while it carried out a new round of consultation.

"Some of these proposed new regulations are causing great angst with ECE services as they fear they will seriously impact on their financial viability and some of them are simply unnecessary."

Ms Bennett said examples included:

* gym creches having to have a "learning plan" for children attending while their parent exercised;

* compulsory sleep rooms even if centres did not need, would not use, or did not have space for them;

* the removal of a regulation requiring all household members in a home-based care environment to be clean of convictions against children.

But Education Minister Chris Carter said further consultation was not necessary as the Government had consulted for nine months and centres would have six years to meet the new regulations.

He said 605 existing centres had provided feedback.

"When consulted, 73 percent of submitters were of the view that separate sleep rooms were needed.

"In addition, currently 90 percent of providers already have adequate separate sleep rooms."