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Child Care Services in New Zealand Industry Data and Analysis
Weakening occupancy rates and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic initially upended long-term growth trends for the Child Care Services industry, leading to major issues for childcare providers, including depressed demand and widespread teacher shortages. While these challenges have persisted in the post-pandemic environment, the industry has regained lost ground, supported by the Ministry of Education's (Te Tahuhu o te Matauranga) 20 Hours ECE scheme and changes to the Family Boost scheme which are designed to reduce cost barriers to early childhood education, especially for low and middle-income households. Overall, industry revenue is expected to climb by an annualised 3.4% over the five years through 2026-27 to $1.16 billion. This includes weaker growth of 0.5% in 2026-27, as the industry grapples with uneven occupancy, funding and cost pressures and sweeping regulatory changes as regulatory oversight shifts to the Education Review Office.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2016-2031. The most recent publication was released August 2026.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Child Care Services industry in New Zealand operates under the ANZSIC industry code Q8710NZ. Industry organisations provide formal day care services for infants and children. Child care services are mainly provided for children under six years of age. Education and childcare centres that provide early childhood education are included in the industry. Preschools, play centres and play groups are not part of the industry. Related terms covered in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand include occupancy rate, community-based centre and ece.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Child Care Services industry in New Zealand include Community-based centres and Private centres.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand include BestStart Educare, Evolve Education Group and Kindercare Learning Centres Limited.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand in 2026?
The market size of the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand is $1.2bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand in 2026?
There are 1,239 businesses in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.4 % between 2021 and 2026.
How may import tariffs affect the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand?
The Child Care Services industry in New Zealand is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand?
The Child Care Services industry in New Zealand is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand has been growing at a CAGR of 3.4 % between 2021 and 2026.
What is the forecast growth of the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand?
The biggest companies operating in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand are BestStart Educare, Evolve Education Group and Kindercare Learning Centres Limited
What does the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand include?
Early childhood education and care centre operation and Childcare centre and creche operation are part of the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand?
The company holding the most market share in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand is BestStart Educare.
How competitive is the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand?
The level of competition is low and increasing in the Child Care Services industry in New Zealand.
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