Privacy Policy

Kiwitahi Playhouse Limited

Last updated: November 2026

1. Our commitment to your privacy

At Kiwitahi Playhouse, we value the trust families place in us. We are committed to respecting and protecting the privacy of children, parents, caregivers, whānau, staff and anyone who interacts with our service.

This Privacy Policy explains how Kiwitahi Playhouse collects, uses, stores and shares personal information in accordance with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020 and other relevant legislation.

Our aim is to collect only the information we need, keep it secure and use it responsibly.

2. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to:

Children enrolled or attending Kiwitahi Playhouse.
Parents, guardians and caregivers.
Families making enrolment enquiries or arranging visits.
Staff, contractors, volunteers and employment applicants.
Visitors and other people who interact with our service.
People who contact us through our website or social media.

3. What information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with Kiwitahi Playhouse.

Children and enrolled families

We may collect:

Child's full name, date of birth and address.
Parent and caregiver names and contact details.
Emergency contact details and authorised collection arrangements.
Medical information, allergies, health conditions and medication requirements.
Information about a child's learning, development, interests and wellbeing.
Attendance records, enrolment information and funding-related information.
Accident, incident, illness and injury records.
Food, sleep, toileting and care information.
Photographs, videos and learning documentation, where appropriate.

Enquiries and prospective families

When you contact us, we may collect:

Your name and contact details.
Your child's age or date of birth, where provided.
Your preferred enrolment days or anticipated start date.
Information about your childcare requirements.
Messages, questions and other information you choose to share.

This includes information submitted through our website, Facebook and Instagram lead forms, Messenger, email, telephone or in person.

Staff and employment applicants

We may collect contact details, employment history, qualifications, references, police vetting information, payroll details and other information necessary for recruitment and employment.

4. Why we collect personal information

We collect information to:

Provide safe, appropriate early childhood education and care.
Understand each child's individual needs, interests and development.
Communicate with parents and caregivers.
Manage enrolments, attendance, fees and funding.
Meet Ministry of Education licensing and funding requirements.
Support children's health, safety and wellbeing.
Respond to emergencies and safeguarding concerns.
Meet our legal and regulatory obligations.
Manage our staff and business operations.
Respond to enquiries and provide information about our service.

We will not collect personal information unless there is a legitimate reason for doing so.

5. How we collect information

We may collect information directly from you through:

Enrolment and permission forms.
Website enquiry forms.
Facebook and Instagram lead forms.
Messenger and other social media communications.
Emails, telephone calls and conversations.
Parent meetings and day-to-day communication.
Staff recruitment and employment processes.

In some circumstances, information may also be received from other people or organisations, such as emergency contacts, previous education providers, health professionals or government agencies, where lawful and appropriate.

Where information is collected indirectly, we will provide the required privacy information in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020.

6. How we store and protect information

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure.

Our systems may include:

Discover – enrolment, attendance and daily care records.
Storypark – children's learning documentation and family communication.
1Place – health and safety records.
Google Drive – business and operational documents.
Xero – financial and payroll information.
Employment Hero – employment and staff information.
Ministry of Education systems – licensing, funding and education records.

Access to personal information is restricted to authorised people who need it to perform their roles.

We use appropriate password protection, access controls and secure storage practices. We expect staff to maintain confidentiality and handle information responsibly.

Some of our service providers may store or process information outside New Zealand. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure that information receives protection consistent with New Zealand privacy requirements.

7. Sharing personal information

We do not sell, rent or trade personal information.

Information may be shared when necessary and lawful, including with:

The Ministry of Education, including through the Early Learning Information (ELI) system, for funding, monitoring and statutory purposes.
The Education Review Office (ERO) and other authorised regulatory agencies.
Health professionals and emergency services when required to protect a child's health or safety.
Oranga Tamariki, Police or other appropriate agencies where required or authorised by law.
Approved software and service providers who support our operations.
Other education or learning support professionals when appropriate and authorised.

We may also share information with a parent or legal guardian who is entitled to receive it, subject to applicable privacy and legal requirements.

We will only share information for appropriate purposes and in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020.

8. Photographs, videos and learning documentation

Photographs, videos and observations may be used to document children's learning, development and experiences at Kiwitahi Playhouse.

Learning documentation may be shared privately with the child's authorised parents or caregivers through our learning and communication platforms.

We will seek appropriate written permission before using identifiable photographs or videos of children for public purposes, including:

Our website.
Facebook and Instagram.
Marketing and promotional material.
Public displays or publications.

We respect families' decisions regarding photography and the use of their child's image.

9. Website, cookies and social media

When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, such as browser information, device information and website usage data.

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve website functionality and understand how visitors use our website.

We may also use third-party services, including Meta (Facebook and Instagram), for advertising and marketing purposes.

If you submit an enquiry through a Facebook or Instagram lead form, the information you provide may be made available to Kiwitahi Playhouse through Meta's platform. We use this information to respond to your enquiry and provide relevant information about our service.

Your use of third-party platforms is also subject to their own privacy policies and terms.

10. How long we keep information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, or for the period required under applicable legislation, Ministry of Education requirements, funding rules and other regulatory obligations.

Different records have different retention requirements.

When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, destroyed or otherwise disposed of.

11. Your privacy rights

Under the Privacy Act 2020, individuals have the right to:

Request access to personal information we hold about them.
Request access to information about their child where they are legally entitled to do so.
Ask us to correct information that is inaccurate, incomplete or misleading.
Ask questions about how their information is collected, stored or used.
Raise concerns about the handling of their personal information.

We will respond to access and correction requests in accordance with our legal obligations.

12. Privacy concerns and complaints

If you have a question, concern or complaint about how Kiwitahi Playhouse handles personal information, please contact us in the first instance.

We will take your concern seriously and work to resolve it.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner:

Website: www.privacy.org.nz

Phone: 0800 803 909

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, our business practices or the systems we use.

The most recent version will be available on our website.

14. Contact us