Running a child care centre in New Zealand is not an easy job. It takes time, patience, and a lot of planning. Centre managers, teachers, and staff have to take care of many things—like keeping child records, sending daily updates to parents, managing staff, and handling invoices. Doing all of this manually can be tiring and confusing.

This is where a Child Care Management System (CCMS) becomes helpful. It is a special kind of software made to help child care centres work more smoothly. It saves time, reduces mistakes, and makes sure everything is well organised. In this article, you’ll learn about the Top 5 Child Care Management Systems in New Zealand in 2025, with Juniorlogs as the top-rated one.

Here’s a quick summary of the Top 5 Systems in 2025:

1. Juniorlogs – The Best Child Care Management System in New Zealand

Juniorlogs is the number one choice for child care centres in New Zealand. It is a smart, easy-to-use, and fully compliant system that meets the rules of the Ministry of Education (MOE). Many early childhood centres trust Juniorlogs because it helps them do their work better and faster.

Key Features of Juniorlogs:

• ✅ MOE-Compliant – Keeps you up to date with government regulations. It helps you apply for funding correctly.

• ✅ Child Records and Enrolment – You can easily register new children and store all their information in one place.

• ✅ Daily Attendance Tracking – With a few clicks, staff can mark attendance and view attendance reports anytime.

• ✅ Parent Communication – Parents receive daily updates about their child’s meals, naps, learning activities, and more.

• ✅ Billing and Invoicing – You can create invoices, track fees, and send payment reminders to parents automatically.

• ✅ Reports and Analytics – Create reports for internal use and funding without extra effort.

• ✅ User-Friendly Interface – Both staff and parents find it easy to use, even if they are not very tech-savvy.

• ✅ Cloud-Based System – You can access Juniorlogs from anywhere using the internet.

Juniorlogs is loved by child care providers in New Zealand because it saves time, reduces paperwork, and keeps everyone connected—from teachers and administrators to parents.

2. Apt Childcare – Great for Parent Engagement

Apt Childcare is another trusted child care management system in New Zealand. It is designed to support early learning centres by improving communication and helping with daily tasks. Many centres like Apt because it makes parent engagement simple and meaningful.

What Apt Offers:

• 📱 Daily Parent Updates – Send messages, activity reports, and photos to parents quickly.

• 👩‍🏫 Easy Dashboard – Staff can manage children’s records, activities, and attendance in one place.

• 📊 Reporting Tools – Generate reports about children’s development and centre performance.

• 💬 Two-Way Messaging – Parents can also reply or ask questions directly through the platform.

Apt Childcare is ideal for small to mid-size centres that want to build stronger relationships with families.

3. Discover by ELI – Powerful and Advanced

Discover by ELI (Early Learning Information) is a full-featured platform used by many child care centres in New Zealand and Australia. It is known for its advanced tools and integration with MOE systems.

Key Benefits of Discover:

• 🧾 MOE Funding Integration – Makes it easier to manage and apply for government subsidies.

• 📝 Online Enrolment – Parents can register their children online without using paper forms.

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Portals – Families can view child activity updates, billing information, and learning progress.

• 💼 Staff Management – Schedule shifts, track hours, and manage staff performance easily.

Discover is a strong choice for larger centres with many children and staff. It has a lot of features but may take time to learn fully.

4. Kindy Manager – Simple and Trusted

Kindy Manager has been serving New Zealand early learning centres for years. It is a trusted tool for managing records, funding, and reports. It is not the most modern software, but it is simple and dependable.

Key Features:

• 🧒 Child and Staff Records – Store all essential information safely and in one place.

• 📅 Attendance and Roll Books – Easy roll marking for teachers.

• 📈 Funding Reports – Helps centres apply for MOE funding correctly.

• 💻 Basic Design – Not too flashy, but works well for small to medium-sized centres.

Kindy Manager is a good choice for centres that want a basic, no-frills system that gets the job done.

5. Infocare – Strong Admin Tools

Infocare is another well-known child care management software in New Zealand. It focuses on administration and reporting tasks. It is especially helpful for centres that want to be more organised.

Infocare Highlights:

• ✅ Real-Time Attendance – Mark and track child attendance instantly.

• 🧾 Billing and Payments – Generate invoices and collect payments with ease.

• 🏫 MOE Reporting – Create and submit reports for government funding easily.

• 👨‍👩‍👧 Parent Access – Families can log in to check updates and bills.

Infocare is a reliable platform that supports daily operations, especially when used by centres with experienced admin teams.

Conclusion

Child care centres in New Zealand are expected to follow many rules, keep detailed records, and stay in touch with parents. Doing all of this manually can be hard, which is why choosing the right Child Care Management System is so important. 

Among all of them, Juniorlogs is the top choice because it offers everything a child care centre needs in one easy platform. It saves time, helps with MOE funding, keeps parents informed, and makes the daily work of educators much easier.

If you're planning to improve your child care centre’s system in 2025, Juniorlogs is the smart and safe way to go.