The Heretaunga Kindergarten Association has reached its final decision regarding staffing and hour changes at the 16 centres under its umbrella, and says the outcome will ensure the ongoing financial viability of the service.
The association sent proposals for consultation to its member kindergartens in Hastings, Havelock North, Flaxmere, Waipawa and Waipukurau in March this year, and the move prompted concerns at some centres that the changes would take away parents' choice and endanger the model of free public kindergarten.
Association general manager Fiona Mason said the changes, including to session times and number of staff positions, were a response to the Government removing 100 per cent qualified teacher funding bands, resulting in a $1.1 million funding cut for the Heretaunga association.
Research undertaken by the association and Cinta Research in 2014 indicated parents required longer and more flexible hours for children to fit in with work and school hours, she said.
A recently completed review where teachers, parents and community members were asked to provide alternatives, confirmed the research findings.
"Some of our communities shared with us the importance of working together with school times, so we have incorporated flexibility of start and finish times in response to specific community needs and to provide greater choice to parents."
As a result a number of full time position hours had been reduced for some roles, and increased hours at a number of kindergartens would lead to additional part time teacher positions being created, she said.
Extended hours at some centres would mean extra fully qualified teacher roles would also be added, however, kindergarten support worker roles (providing back-up support to teachers) would be disestablished completely.
"We are sorry to lose those colleagues and we are working through that with each team. We have support in place for affected staff," Mrs Mason said.
"We recognise it's a challenging time for everyone - we have put a lot of support in for all our teams and teachers and will continue to do so."
When asked if current teachers would have to re-apply for their positions, she said the association was working with the union and had processes in place to work with the teachers through any changes.
She said it was hoped many of the new structures would be in place by the beginning of term 3.
Early childhood education national organisation ChildForum promotes high quality and best practice in all early learning and childcare services and for the whole early childhood sector.
Its chief executive Sarah Alexander said moves such as those taken by the Heretaunga association were happening around the country, and were a missed opportunity to look at early childhood education and strengthen it.
"There's a danger it's reacting to the current situation of government funding and not looking at where that reaction may lead for supporting current national policy objectives to have kindergartens assimilated into childcare," Dr Alexander said.
"The Heretaunga Kindergarten Association could have been a leader in terms of really thinking not just in terms of an immediate response to the funding issues, but also more strategically for the future.
"Kindergartens will die if every kindergarten goes down this path."