THE lives of millions of children are put at risk by parents who send them to unregistered and overcrowded childcare centres.
The Statistics Department revealed that there are 2.3 million children below the age of 4, which means that Malaysia needs 38,333 childcare centres.
The Welfare Department’s statistics showed that there are only 4,302 registered childcare centres, and only 3,173 of the 16,873 caregivers in its list are certified.
The remaining do not even meet the minimum requirements to be a caregiver.
Police records showed that caregivers top the list of perpetrators behind child abuse cases.
Association of Registered Childcare Providers Malaysia president Norsheila Abdullah said children at unregistered childcare centre is a cause of concern.
“Whenever there is an accident, people will blame the Welfare Department for not monitoring the centres.
“But its policy is clear. It monitors registered childcare centres.
“The hands of department officers are tied too.
“They cannot inspect people’s houses as they can be sued for trespassing, unless reports are lodged against caregivers.”
The Child Care Centre Act 1984 defines a childcare centre as premises that accepts four or more children under 4 from more than a household to care for in return for a wage.
The act allows those caring for fewer than three children to be exempted from having to register with the Welfare Department and meeting the requirements for a childcare centre.
While the law states that a home-based childcare centre can accept up to nine children, it, however, does not take into account that many childcarers are also caring for their children or grandchildren.
As such, despite complying with Welfare Department rules, home-based childcare centres are taking in more children, but escape the law due to their relationship with the children.
The caregiver-children ratio set by the Welfare Department fails to take into account children, aged 5 and above, who are sent to childcare centres after school.
Norsheila said many childcare operators prefer taking in “transit children”, a term coined for children placed at a centre for fewer than three hours.
However, she said, in most cases, they will spend half of their day at childcare centres, waiting for their parents to pick them up after work.
She said handling too many children could result in untrained and overburdened childminders losing their temper and hurting those under their care.
“If it is more than three hours, it is considered after-school care and operators are supposed to prepare activities for children, which includes checking their homework.
“Operators love taking in transit children because they are stationed for a shorter period, payment will be made and there is no ratio limit for transit children,” she said.
Universiti Sains Malaysia psychologist and criminologist Dr Geshina Ayu Mat Saat said poor enforcement enabled anyone to operate childcare centres.
She said childcare centres should be categorised according to age groups as the level of care, communications, child development and learning pathways differ.
“Unfortunately, many childcare centres and operators, including unregistered ones, accept as many children as possible to get more money.
“The quality of care deteriorates when the ratio is no longer ideal,” she said, adding that a childcare operator has a duty to ensure that not only the environment is safe for children, but it also promotes psychosocial and moral growth.
‘Diseases spread easily in crowded environment’
CHILDREN who are sent to overcrowded childcare centres by their parents are at a higher risk of contracting infectious diseases and development delay, senior consultant paediatrician Datuk Dr Amar-Singh H.S.S. said.
He said it is crucial that every childcare centre has ample space to allow children to move around and play, without bumping into each other and getting injured.
“Overcrowding is unhealthy, even in our homes, because diseases spread easily in crowded environment.
“The children-to-caregiver ratio is critical, but it will not affect the spread of diseases. It is the number of children in a small space that is important.”
The legal requirement set by the Welfare Department for space in a home-based childcare centre is 2.5sq m per child and 3.5sq m for other childcare centres.
Dr Amar said overcrowded childcare centres could affect children development.
“Overcrowded means less attention will be given to each child so their development progress will be impaired.
“It means that they don’t get to explore and learn. The premises’ hygiene will be harder to maintain.”
Last month, the Health Ministry reportedly mulled action against childcare centres that record frequent occurrences of the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said HFMD is highly contagious, especially among children in childcare centres or kindergartens.
He said childcare centres and kindergarten operators must ensure the cleanliness of their premises and equipment used by children.
Malaysia recorded 51,147 HFMD cases between Jan 1 and Aug 14 this year, causing more than 450 premises to be closed, including 217 childcare centres and 223 kindergartens.
Dr Amar said overburdened childminders could experience meltdowns.
“Overburden is a factor behind child abuse cases. Even as parents, it is not easy to manage too many children. We might act out in anger and cause injuries.”
Minders biting off more than they can chew, say parents
THE action of some unscrupulous childminders who are taking in more children than they could handle has led to a number of tragic incidents in the country.
The New Sunday Times recently spoke to some parents — one of them lost her child, while others had their children being left with injuries and trauma that changed their lives forever.
Their stories are almost similar — their children were healthy before they were sent to their babysitters, who later called saying that their children had seizures or breathing difficulties.
Medical examinations showed that their children suffered from brain haemorrhage or bleeding in their eyes, believed to be due to force trauma or being forcefully shaken.
Shahida, whose son died, said she was shocked to know that her babysitter sent her son to be cared for by the latter’s daughter, who was caring for 12 other children, including her own.
“The reason I agreed to send my children to the babysitter was because she was not taking care of other children, but I didn’t know that when I sent my baby to her, she actually passed my son to be cared for by her daughter.
“Her daughter was caring for 12 children, including her own. They were between 2 months and 9,” she said.
The centre was forced to close after she lodged a report.
Nori, whose 2-month-old daughter was diagnosed with growth developmental delay, said her child’s babysitter was caring for at least 10 children, excluding those who were on “transit”.
“She is registered with the Welfare Department. When the incident happened, I reported her to the authorities but they claimed that she did nothing wrong. I don’t understand how she can be allowed to care for so many children in a small flat. Until today, I still don’t know what happened to my daughter. She refused to tell me anything.
“The Welfare Department says a childcare centre must install closed-circuit television cameras, but it didn’t have any.
“So, why there was no action taken against the centre?”