There are claims the number of complaints upheld against early childhood centres show the Ministry of Education is doing its job.

A Ministry report has revealed there were 331 complaints about early childhood centres in 2016.

Those that were upheld include an ambulance not being called when a child broke a leg, and another where a teacher did nothing when a child said they were sexually abused for months.

However, Early Childhood Council CEO, Peter Reynolds, told Mike Hosking the number of complaints is dropping.

"One hundred and sixty-three of those complaints were upheld by the ministry which is also a good thing, it shows that the system works and that the ministry is doing its job."

A hundred and four complaints against early childhood centres were upheld the previous year.

LISTEN ABOVE AS PETER REYNOLDS TALKS TO MIKE HOSKING