The full immersion childcare centre is aimed at 3 to 5-year-olds and open from Monday to Friday. Photo / Stephen Parker
The full immersion childcare centre is aimed at 3 to 5-year-olds and open from Monday to Friday. Photo / Stephen Parker
A second early childhood centre run by a Rotorua iwi-based trust has closed.
Te Puna Manawa o Whakaue, on Pererika St, chose to temporarily close on Friday - affecting 37 children aged between 3 and 5.
In a statement responding to Rotorua Daily Post questions, Te Taumata o NgātiWhakaue Iho Ake Trust, which governs the early childhood centre, said it closed due to "staffing issues which impacted the ability to operate".
The Ministry of Education, which funds the early childhood centre, supports the trust's decision to close.
Te Taumata o Ngāti Whakaue Iho Ake Trust opened the Māori total immersion early childhood education centre in 2018 by as part Ngāti Whakaue's education strategy.
The trust, according to its website, was established in 2005 to understand the significant role iwi played to achieve iwi aspirations in areas such as education, te reo and wellbeing.
Te Puna Manawa o Whakaue early childhood centre was locked up on Monday morning. Photo / Stephen Parker
It is the second early childhood centre run by the trust to close this year. The first, Te Puna Akoranga o Ngāti Whakaue, had its licence suspended after 47 breaches were found on licensing categories, the Rotorua Daily Post reported in July.
Te Taumata o Ngati Whakaue Iho-Ake Trust general manager Roana Bennett told the Rotorua Daily Post in a statement the decision to temporarily close Te Puna Manawa o Whakaue was made in agreement with Ministry of Education on Friday and effective from 5pm that day.
"Our immediate focus is on working with whānau of the tamariki attending the centre to help them find places in other early childhood centres and to support their transition."
Bennett said she had received support from other Rotorua centres which were able to take the children and confirmed the trust would continue to operate a transport service to help parents.
"The wellbeing of tamariki is our top priority and we're absolutely committed to taking the appropriate steps to rectify the situation and reopen as soon as possible. We will keep our whānau informed as we progress.
"We sincerely apologise to our whānau and our wider community for the impact that this will have."
When asked what the staffing issues were, Bennett said she could not comment due to the privacy of those people involved.
Te Taumata o Ngati Whakaue Iho-Ake Trust general manager Roana Bennett. Photo / File
Ministry of Education enablement and support deputy secretary Katrina Casey said in a statement that she supported the trust's decision.
"We understand the centre has been successfully working with whānau wanting to find an alternative centre that provides a similar puna reo approach to early learning and have the capacity for more tamariki.
"We also understand the trust is now focused on taking the appropriate steps to manage the employment matters which have resulted in the closure and to reopen as soon as possible."
Casey said should the trust decide it wanted to reopen the centre, the ministry would work to ensure it met appropriate licensing standards and criteria.
A parent of a Te Puna Manawa child, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they found out last Friday morning it would close from the start of this week.
They said the closure was "disappointing".
The early childhood centre opened in 2018 by the Te Taumata o Ngati Whakaue Trust. Photo / Stephen Parker
