ERO or the Ministry? Who to Contact About Your Child's School or Preschool

If you're worried about something at your child's school or preschool, you want to know who can help. From 1 September 2026, that answer has changed for some families.

The Education Review Office (ERO) has taken over licensing and other oversight of early learning services, private school registration and school hostel licensing from the Ministry of Education. It now handles concerns and complaints that fall within those responsibilities. The Ministry still oversees state schools. The Ministry's announcement explains the change.

For most families, the useful thing to know is where to go if talking to the school or service hasn't helped.

Who should I contact?

For an everyday concern, it's usually best to start with the people caring for or teaching your child. Ask for their complaints process if you need to take it further.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 111. You don't need to work through a complaints process before getting emergency help.

Where your child attends	Start with	If you need more help
A state or state-integrated school	The teacher or principal, then the school's complaints process and board	Your local Ministry of Education office
An early learning service, including kōhanga reo, or a certified playgroup	The teacher, educator or service manager, where appropriate	ERO
A private school	The school leadership or management, following its complaints process	ERO
A school boarding hostel	The hostel management, following its complaints process	ERO

These routes follow ERO's guidance for parents and whānau. For early learning concerns, you can also approach ERO directly. Speaking to the service first is a usual starting point, not a condition you must meet before asking ERO for help.

Early learning: the number and email to use

For concerns about an early learning service's safety, care or legal requirements, ERO lists:

• Phone: 0800 376 800
• Email: enforcement@ero.govt.nz

These are on ERO's early learning complaints page. You can ask for guidance even if you're unsure whether the issue is something ERO deals with.

State and state-integrated schools: the usual process still applies

If talking with the teacher or principal hasn't resolved the issue, follow the school's complaints policy. This will explain how to put a concern to the board. Ask the office for a copy if you can't find it online.

If you remain unhappy with the response, your local Ministry of Education office can offer support. The Ministry also lists the Ombudsman as an option in its school complaints guidance. The September transfer hasn't made ERO the complaints body for state schools.

There is an exception for boarding families: school hostels are covered by the transfer, including those serving state and state-integrated schools. A concern about hostel care can therefore go to ERO, even when a concern about the school itself would go to the Ministry. ERO's hostel guidance covers these school types.

Private schools and boarding hostels

If you've raised a concern with the school or hostel and still need help, ERO directs parents to info@ero.govt.nz. You can also use that address to ask about the requirements a school or hostel must meet. See ERO's private school and hostel complaints guidance.

What if the concern is about a teacher?

The Teaching Council deals with a teacher's professional conduct or competence. That applies to teachers in early learning as well as schools.

Its guidance says you should usually give the teacher's employer a chance to investigate first. You can then approach the Council if you're unhappy with how the issue was handled. There are exceptions, including where a conflict of interest could prevent the employer from dealing with the complaint properly. The Teaching Council explains when and how to complain.

What has ERO taken over?

ERO now has responsibility for:

• Licensing early learning services and certifying playgroups, including Māori early learning settings.
• Registering private schools.
• Licensing school hostels.
• Checking whether these services meet their requirements, responding to complaints and incidents, and taking action when needed.

It continues to review the quality of education and care. For early learning, this brings reviews and licensing oversight into the same agency. ERO sets out its new responsibilities here.

The Ministry keeps responsibility for early learning policy, funding, curriculum and standards, as well as regulation of state schools. Its explanation of the two agencies' roles is here.

Have the rules for preschools changed too?

The transfer itself doesn't mean services have a new set of safety and care standards to meet. ERO says they must continue meeting the requirements that apply to them.

There have, however, been separate changes this year. Revised licensing criteria took effect on 20 April 2026. The Ministry describes those reforms as a reduction from 98 criteria to 80, with many criteria amended or combined. Read the Ministry's explanation of the earlier changes.

The licensing documents were also updated for 1 September to reflect the transfer to ERO. The Ministry's 2026 changes page separates the April and September changes. If your service mentions new rules, ask which change it means and how that affects your child's care.

What does this mean for reading an ERO report?

ERO still publishes school reports. The colour reporting format introduced in Term 2 2026 is a separate change from this transfer. Our guide to ERO's colour ratings explains how to read it, and ERO's reporting announcement sets out when it began.

For early learning, there is more happening. From 1 September, ERO introduced a review process combining education quality and compliance checks for standalone English-medium and Pacific-medium centres. That is a specific group of services, so check the guidance for your service type rather than assuming every preschool or kōhanga reo follows the same process. ERO explains the new approach here.

A licence and a review still tell you different things. Licensing deals with a service's permission to operate and the minimum standards it must meet. A review looks more closely at how the service is doing. When choosing a preschool, ask to see its current licence and latest report, and ask what has changed since the review. Also check for any conditions on the licence. A service can keep operating on a provisional licence while it fixes problems, so holding a licence is not proof that everything is in order. The Ministry explains provisional licences and other enforcement action here.

A few questions parents may have

I complained about my child's early learning service before 1 September. Do I need to start again?

No. ERO says existing complaints will continue to be handled, and you don't need to resubmit yours. If you want an update or have more information, email enforcement@ero.govt.nz. This is confirmed in its early learning complaints guidance.

Will every complaint to ERO lead to an investigation?

No. ERO checks whether the concern falls within its role and considers the risks before deciding what to do. It may ask for more information, contact the service or take other action. It may also be unable to share every detail with you because of privacy requirements. Its complaints guidance explains what to expect.

I'm not sure where my concern belongs. Can I ask?

Yes. For early learning, call 0800 376 800. For a private school or hostel, email info@ero.govt.nz. For a state or state-integrated school concern, contact your local Ministry office. ERO's contact page lists its current contact details.

What should I have ready when I get in touch?

A few notes can make the conversation easier. Write down what happened, when it happened, how it affected your child and who you've already spoken to. Keep any replies, and say what you'd like help with.

You don't need to know which rule might have been broken to describe what's worrying you. A specific example gives the person you're speaking with something to work from.

More in ERO & reports

• ERO's New Colour Ratings: What They Mean for Parents
• ERO, EQI and NCEA: What Each One Actually Tells You

Information and contact details checked on 3 September 2026.