12 Dec 2010

Police checks to remain in place at childcare centres.

6:09 am on 12 December 2010

Police checks must still be carried out on employees at short-term child care centres, after a last minute change to new legislation.

The Education Amendment Act, passed under urgency on Saturday, removes so-called limited attendance centres, such as those in gyms, from early childhood licensing standards.

That was going to mean the centres were no longer required to have police vet their staff, but the Labour Party put up an amendment to the Health and Safety Act that will keep police checks in place.

Education Minister Anne Tolley says Labour's amendment is a sensible solution and does not change the main thrust of the bill.