New Zealand fitness and recreation bodies welcome childcare regulation changes

The issue of childcare regulations in fitness centres has been in the news in New Zealand over recent months.

While generating high coverage in the mainstream media, after extensive lobbying both FitnessNZ and the New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA) have welcomed the Ministry of Education (who oversee the regulations) agreeing to urgently review the current regulations for childcare in fitness/recreation centres. In particular, the current requirements for fitness centres to meet the same regulations as a fully licensed childcare operation will be reviewed, with the intention of developing some intermediate level of regulations.

FitnessNZ and NZRA are both now working with the Ministry of Education to help develop the new regulations, which FitnessNZ Chief Executive Richard Beddie sees as being "an extremely positive step.

"For over five years now this has been a major concern to the industry, and one that FitnessNZ has been working on. The issue is finally getting the attention it deserves."