Daycare & ECE in Forrest Hill
3 licensed early childhood services across 2 service types in Forrest Hill, Auckland.
Composite = our 0–100 ECE quality score (weighted average of six ERO dimensions, normalised within Equity Index band). 20 Hours ECE & ERO coverage are counts of the 3 licensed services in Forrest Hill.
Estimate your costs: our FamilyBoost + Childcare Subsidy calculator stacks 20 Hours ECE, the means-tested Childcare Subsidy, and the IRD FamilyBoost rebate to show net weekly cost.
Services in Forrest Hill, by type
Education & Care — 2
Smoochie McGill Early Learning
Smoochie McGill Early Learning is an education and care service in Forrest Hill with 33 children on roll. Our analysis of the ERO report (February 2024) found B grades for children's wellbeing and health & safety, with a C grade for bicultural practice. The service shows responsive teaching and positive relationships, with health and safety systems in place, while bicultural practice is developing.
Peekaboo Childcare Forrest Hill
Peekaboo Childcare Forrest Hill is an education and care service in Forrest Hill. Our analysis of the 2022 ERO report indicates the centre received B grades across curriculum and learning, health and safety, and leadership and governance. The service has a qualified manager and three team leaders providing curriculum oversight.
Explore Forrest Hill & Auckland
Schools in Forrest Hill
When they age out of daycare, check schoolsnearme.co.nz for every NZ school with audited financials + ERO reviews.
Frequently asked
- How many daycare and ECE centres are in Forrest Hill?
- There are 3 licensed early childhood services in Forrest Hill, Auckland: 2 education & care, 1 home-based. Combined enrolment 183 children.
- Is there childcare near me in Forrest Hill?
- Yes — Forrest Hill has 3 licensed early childhood services, every one of them listed below with its address, service type and 20 Hours ECE status. To rank them by walking or driving distance from your exact address, use our find-by-address radius search.
- What's the largest daycare in Forrest Hill?
- Happy Kids At Home Childcare is the largest licensed centre in Forrest Hill with 80 children enrolled (home-based). See the per-centre listing below for size details on every centre.
- Which centres in Forrest Hill offer 20 Hours ECE?
- 0 of 3 centres (0%) in Forrest Hill participate in 20 Hours ECE, which subsidises up to 20 hours/week of care for 3-5 year olds. The 20-Hrs pill on each centre card below shows participation.
- Are there kindergartens in Forrest Hill?
- No kindergartens listed in Forrest Hill specifically — try adjacent suburbs. Other licensed options below cover the same age groups.
- Is home-based childcare available in Forrest Hill?
- 1 licensed home-based ECE service operates in Forrest Hill. Home-based care typically suits families wanting small mixed-age groups in a domestic setting. Networks include PORSE, Nurtured at Home, and others — see the listing below.
- How much does daycare cost in Forrest Hill?
- Costs in Forrest Hill follow the NZ national pattern: education & care centres typically $280-$360/week for under-2s, dropping to $0-$100/week for 3-5 year olds at 20-Hours-participating centres. Free Kindergartens charge little or nothing for 3-5 year olds. FamilyBoost (25% IRD rebate, $75/week cap) applies on top. See our /cost-of-daycare/forrest-hill/ page for the per-age × per-type breakdown.
- What government support is available for childcare in Forrest Hill?
- All 3 licensed centres in Forrest Hill are eligible for the three stackable supports: 20 Hours ECE (universal for 3-5yr olds at 0 participating Forrest Hill centres), the means-tested Childcare Subsidy from MSD, and FamilyBoost (25% rebate up to $75/week from IRD, phased out from $140k-$180k household income). Use our /familyboost-calculator for your specific net weekly cost.
Understanding NZ ECE — topic guides
Data sources & freshness (4 sources · last refresh 12 July 2026)
Service type, address, roll, ethnicity, Equity Index, 20 Hours, Takiwā, lat/lng
Annual financial returns (community-based + umbrella orgs)
Per-centre review reports + 6-dimension letter grades (curriculum / wellbeing / whānau / bicultural / health & safety / leadership)
Safety score, crime/1k, 2023 Census demographics
Last build refresh: . See full methodology + data sources pages for licences, refresh cadences, and known gaps.