Summary

This report looks at the affordability of early learning services for parents. It presents the results of an analysis carried out in the Stats NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI). The key findings are summarised below.

• Among 0-year-olds, attendance at early learning education (ECE) services decreased as parent income increased. Among older children, especially 1- and 4-year-olds, there was a slight trend of higher attendance associated with higher parent income.
• Parents of older children attending early learning services received more government payments compared to parents of younger children. There was a general trend of higher government payments associated with higher ECE attendance.
• Children of parents with higher incomes attended a greater number of ECE services over the course of the year.
• The proportion of government payments parents received compared to their income varied across education regions. In all education regions, the parents of children attending at least 20 hours of ECE per week received the highest proportion of government payments. This proportion was especially higher in the Tai Tokerau, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Taranaki/Whanganui/Manawatu education regions.
• Among different ECE service types, there were differences in the proportion of government payments parents received (relative to their income). This was in turn related to hours of ECE attendance. In kindergartens, home-based services and playcentres, there was a decrease in government payments as attendance increased.
• Parents with one child had a higher average income than those with two to four children. Parents with two to four children generally received a higher proportion of government payments. These payments were highest for children attending ECE services for 20 hours.