How Long Should I Retain Different Documentation?!
A comprehensive guide to document retention periods for Early Childhood Education centers
You've probably wasted time looking for a summarised view of retention periods before. Maybe you've posted in Facebook groups asking if anyone has a handy list, or spent longer than you'd like scrolling through the Ministry of Education website trying to piece together the requirements.
The information is out there, but it's scattered across multiple sources – some in the licensing criteria PDF, some on the MoE website, and some buried in funding handbooks. Every time you need to check something, you find yourself going down the same rabbit hole of cross-referencing different documents.
It's not exactly a crisis, but it's definitely inefficient. You know there must be a better way than repeatedly hunting through the same sources every time you need to verify retention periods.
That's exactly what this resource provides. Bookmark this page now, and never lose sleep over retention periods again.
How long are we supposed to store all of these documents, policies, and procedures for!?
Navigating the maze of ECE documentation requirements can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to balance compliance with the day-to-day demands of running a quality early childhood service. We understand that keeping track of retention periods, update frequencies, and specific documentation requirements isn't exactly the most exciting part of your role, but it's absolutely crucial for maintaining your license and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the children in your care.
The table below represents countless hours of research, cross-referencing multiple official sources, and synthesizing information that's often scattered across different documents and websites. We've done the heavy lifting so you don't have to spend your evenings scrolling through PDFs or posting in Facebook groups asking for clarification on retention periods.
Whether you're preparing for a licensing review, updating your policies, or simply trying to declutter your filing system, this comprehensive guide should serve as your go-to reference. Remember, while this information is current as of April 2025, regulations do change, so it's always worth double-checking with official sources if you're unsure about any specific requirements for your service.
Required Documentation
| Required Documentation | Purpose | Update Frequency | Retention Period | Additional Requirements | Licensing Criteria | Legal Basis | Source Disparities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Budget | Guide financial expenditure | Prepared once a year and reviewed every 6 months | No specified period | Should include projected income and expenses, broken down on a monthly basis | GMA9; Annual budget, ECE Funding Handbook; Chapter 11 | N/A | Consistent across sources |
| Annual Plan | To direct service's operation | Annual plan should be developed at the same time as annual budget | Current version (no specified period) | Identify 'who', 'what', and 'when' for key tasks to undertake each year, and in regards to NELP | GMA8; Annual plan | N/A | Consistent across sources |
| Assessment Records | To notice, document some of, and respond to individual children's learning | Ongoing | For duration of child's enrollment | Records should be informed by parents' aspirations | C2; Assessment, C4; Adult's knowledge | N/A | Consistent across sources |
| Attendance Records | To document daily attendance of children and staff | Daily | 7 years | Must include: date, hour of arrival and departure, signature of parent or person collecting the child. Evidence a parent or guardian has confirmed the attendance record; (refer to ECE Funding Handbook 6-3). | GMA11; Attendance records, ECE Funding Handbook; Chapter 6 | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | Consistent across sources |
| Category i and iii Medicines | To document writen authority for categories i and iii medicines | On enrolment form | Keep for 7 years | Each category has different authorisation requirements (including brand names for category i), in Appendix 3 of the Licensing Criteria | HS28; Medicine Administration | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specify |
| Category ii Medicines | To document writen authority for category ii medicines | Daily parental authorisation | Keep for as long as the child is receiving that medicine | Each category has different authorisation requirements, in Appendix 3 of the Licensing Criteria | HS28; Medicine Administration | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specify |
| Child Protection Policy | To guide child protection practices | Regularly reviewed (website says every 3 years) | Current version must be maintained | Must include indicators and identification of abuse and neglect, reporting procedures, and procedures to respond | HS31; Child Protection | Children's Act 2014 | No mention of retention period across sources |
| Documentation of curriculum planning, implementation and evaluation | To guide education and care program | Ongoing/regular | Not specified | Must demonstrate implementation of curriculum principles and strands | C1-C13 | N/A | Consistent across sources |
| Emergency Drills Records | To document practice of emergency procedures | Keep a record of each emergency drill. Carry out trial evacuations on at least 3 montly basis; review annually to inform the service's emergency plan | Keep emergency drill records for 2 years | Must record date, time, type of drill conducted, and adults participating | HS8; Emergency drills | Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specify |
| Emergency Plan and Procedures | To guide response in emergencies and ensure the care and safety of children and adults at the service | Reviewed at least annually | Current version must be maintained | Must include evacuation procedures for fire, earthquake, etc, & a communication plan. Must be displayed or shared to parents. | HS7; Emergency plan and supplies | N/A | No mention of retention period across sources |
| Enrolment Records | To document child enrollment information | Upon enrollment and as needed | 7 years | Must contain: child's full name, date of birth, address, names and addresses of at least 1 parent; names of people authorized to collect the child; health information including allergies, food requirements, immunization status; must be signed by parent/guardian | GMA10; Enrolment records, ECE Funding Handbook; Chapter 6 | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | Consistent across sources |
| Excursions Register/Records | To document off-premises activities | For each excursion | Both regular and special excursion full records should be kept for current year + 1 year | Must include risk assessment, parent approval, ratios, etc. | HS17; Excursions | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specify |
| Fire Evacuation Scheme | Ensure fire safety compliance | Annual in accordance with FENZ | Must be current, with trial fire evacuations reported to FENZ within 10 days of taking place | Must be approved by Fire and Emergency New Zealand | HS4; Fire evacuation scheme | Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017 | No retention period specified. Website notes that FENZ requires drills every 6mo, but MoE requires at least every 3mo |
| Food and Nutrition Records | To document food provided | Daily/After each meal | 3 months | Record of food provided; must detail menus and any dietary modifications | HS19; Food and nutrition | N/A | Consistent across sources |
| Hazard and Risk Management System: Building, premises, furniture, fittings, equipment, and materials inspection records | To document regular safety checks for hazards, analyse, and minimise or eliminate risks to children. | Daily | Keep the hazard and risk checklists for the current and preceding year. | Documented daily checks. Must identify hazards, how they will be eliminated, minimized or isolated | HS12; Hazard and risk management | Health & Safety at Work Act 2015 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specify |
| Injuries, Illnesses, or Incidents Records | To document children's accidents, illnesses, injuries, or incidents, to then analyse and reduce risks | As events occur | Keep for 2 years from date of incident, or 5 years if notifiable under Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 | Must include date, child's name, injury/incident, actions taken, outcomes, evidence parents have been informed | HS26; Response to infectious illnesses, HS27; Medical assistance and incident management | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 | Consistent across sources |
| Medication Administration Records | To document administration of medicine, both prescription and non-prescription | As medicines are administered | The record of medicine administered to children should be kept for 2 years | Must include child's name, medicine, dose, time, date, staff signature, parental acknowlegement. Category i and ii require daily acknowledgement, iii requires every 3 months if dosage doesn't change | HS28; Medicine Administration | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specify |
| Notifying of Serious Injury or Illness | To document any serious (or as defined) injury, illness, incident or allegation, send to specific agencies and MoE. | Where there is a serious injury or illness or incident involving a child while at the service | For any notifable insure under the HSWA 2015, it is a requirement to keep the records for 5 years from the date of the incident | Notification per agency forms/specifications | HS34; Incident notification to the Ministry of Education, HS27; Medical assistance and incident management | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 | Website seems to specify retention period for HS34 under HS27, PDF does not specify |
| Philosophy Statement | To guide service's operation | As needed/reviewed; it is a 'living document' | Current version must be maintained | Must be displayed | GMA5; Philosophy statement | N/A | Retention period not mentioned across sources |
| Police Vetting Results | To document police checks for staff | Before employment, and again every 3 years | As long as the children's worker is employed or engaged (then, securely destroy) | Must meet Children's Act 2014 requirements | GMA7A; Safety checking | Children's Act 2014 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specifically mention police vetting |
| Practising Certificates & Qualification Records | Confirm staff credentials | Before certificates expire | 7 years | Copies of current and valid qualifications, Staff Records, employment contracts, salary determination, etc | Education Council Requirements, Funding Handbook Chapter 3 | Education and Training Act 2020 | Handbook only; not specifically mentioned in website or PDF |
| Safety Check Documentation | To document safety checks of staff | Before employment and updated every 3 years | As long as the children's worker is employed or engaged (then, securely destroy) | Must comply with Children's (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children's Workers) Regulations 2015; made up of 7 components including identity verification, police vetting, etc | GMA7A; Safety checking | Children's Act 2014 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specify |
| Self-Review Documentation | To demonstrate ongoing reflection and improvements | Regular/ongoing | Not specified | Must document process, schedule of review, and outcomes | GMA6; Self-review and internal evaluation | N/A | Retention not specified across sources |
| Sleep Monitoring Records | To document sleep checks | Every 5-10 minutes for under 2s | Current year plus 1 additional year | Must include time of check, staff name, observation | HS9; Sleep monitoring | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specify |
| Staff First Aid training records | To document first aid training | Before expiry and as training is completed | Duration of employment | Must show current first aid qualifications | HS25; First aid qualifications | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specify |
| Training to Administer Medicine | To record training provided to ensure adults at the centre are confident and capable of administering all medicines | When medications requiring additional training is needed (e.g. EpiPens, insulin injections) | Duration of the child's enrolment or the staff member's employment, whichever is longer. | Must be kept with child's enrolment record | HS29; Medicine training | Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, Part 2 of the Humans Rights Act 1993 | Website states retention period, PDF doesn't specify |
Retention Periods
When it comes to retention periods, ECE centres face a wide range of requirements spanning from just 3 months to 7 years. The shortest retention period applies to Food and Nutrition Records, which only need to be kept for 3 months, while the longest applies to several critical documents including Attendance Records, Enrolment Records, and Practising Certificates & Qualification Records, all requiring 7-year retention. Some documents like Annual Plans, Child Protection Policies, and Emergency Plans only need to maintain the "current version" without a specified timeframe, while others like Assessment Records and Sleep Monitoring Records are tied to the duration of a child's enrollment or employment.
The most critical documents to retain are those with the longest periods and highest compliance requirements. Attendance Records (7 years) are essential for funding compliance and must include specific details like arrival/departure times and parent signatures. Enrolment Records (7 years) contain comprehensive child information including health details, allergies, and authorized collectors. Staff-related documents like Practising Certificates & Qualification Records (7 years) and Safety Check Documentation (duration of employment) are crucial for licensing compliance. Incident-related records have varying periods - general Injuries, Illnesses, or Incidents Records require 2 years, but serious incidents notifiable under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 must be kept for 5 years. These longer retention periods reflect the legal and regulatory importance of maintaining comprehensive records for child safety, staff compliance, and funding accountability.
Don't Lose Sleep Over Documentation
Remember those numerous Google searches and Facebook group pleas for help? What if you never had to do that again? While Clasp can't solve every documentation challenge (we're not magic), we can eliminate the biggest headaches around policy and emergency drill management.
Secure Storage That Actually Works: Store your policies and emergency drill records securely for their full retention periods – and beyond. No more wondering if you've kept something long enough or scrambling to find that policy from three years ago.
Policy Management That Doesn't Suck: Bulk-upload existing policies, create new ones, and update them all in one place. Know exactly which policy is current.
Automated Reminders: Set review cycles so you never miss a policy update deadline. Don't leave it up to your busy wall-calender; the system tells you when it's time to review, not the other way around.
Full Visibility: Track whanau and staff engagement, review change logs, and see licensing-criteria alignment at a glance. Know exactly what's been reviewed, when, and by whom.
We're not claiming to solve every ECE documentation challenge – that table above shows there are dozens of different requirements. But for policy and emergency drill management, we can give you back those hours spent sifting through boxes and folders of compliance paperwork.
Join Your Fellow ECE Managers!
Our early-bird centres are loving how simple policy and drill management can be, and having the opportunity to shape Clasp to suit their needs.
Legal Disclaimer: This document is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we strive for accuracy, there may be omissions or updates to regulations that are not reflected here. Please refer to the official sources, and consult a legal professional for guidance specific to your situation.
- Required Documentation
Written By
Nicola Donaldson
CEO and Product Designer
Sources
ECE-Licensing-Criteria-Booklets-Centre-Based.pdf