KEY POINTS:
Education Minister Steve Maharey fronted up with forms for parents to sign for free early childhood education at a Wellington centre yesterday - despite having little idea how many parents would be able to use them when the $384 million policy kicks off in July.
The forms will be available to all centres offering the 20 free hours for 3 and 4-year-olds.
Mr Maharey said he would not know until June how many centres would offer the free hours.
The policy has aroused controversy, with many centres, particularly in major cities, saying they could not afford to offer the free hours without charging top-up fees.
Mr Maharey ruled out any immediate changes to the funding levels or the rules despite a survey by the Early Childhood Council showing only 11 per cent of Auckland centres would be on board.
However, he said changes were "entirely possible" once the policy had been bedded in and reviewed.
Mr Maharey acknowledged that many parents would not be able to get the funding because of their centres' resistance but he hoped the number would increase next year.
"On day one we are not expecting everyone to be in, but I remain optimistic of a good muster and that should grow during the year. I would hope by next year that at least three-quarters of the sector are in and it will rise gradually during the year."
Once the policy was up and running, it would be monitored and reviewed to see how it was affecting centres financially.
National early childhood education spokeswoman Paula Bennett said Labour was unable to deliver on its initial promise that the policy would be available to all 3 and 4-year-olds from July 1.
"Steve Maharey can launch whatever forms he likes but it's not going to change the fact that the 20 free hours concept is at best flawed and, at worst, fraudulent because it will not deliver what Labour has promised."
However, the first parents to get the forms at Childspace in Wilton, Liz Tui Morris and Penny McDonald, were delighted to be saving $70 and $50 a week respectively on their children's fees.
"It's like when your children no longer need nappies, you do really notice it in your shopping bill," Ms McDonald said.
Childspace principal Toni Christie said the five centres she owned in Wellington would offer the deal, with average savings of $80 a week for parents.
Optional charges would be made for lunches, the facilities and extra staff, which she said parents were happy to accommodate because they were still saving money.
"We wouldn't have opted in if it involved reducing our services at all," she said. "That was never an option for us.
"So the optional charges are to keep it on the level and the parents accept that because the extra services are the reason they come here."
