BEIJING: China’s top health authority has released its first regulation on home nursery care providers as part of its efforts to develop various childcare services to alleviate pressure on parents and lift birthrates. The National Health Commission published a trial rule on home nursery care providers — agencies that transform residential places into nursery care facilities for children aged three and under — on March 15. The document is soliciting public opinion until April 14.
The trial regulation said that such a service provider can look after no more than five children, and each caretaker can look after a maximum of three babies. The per capita floor space for each child should meet a minimum of nine square meters.
Caretakers should be experienced or have an education background in nursery care and child health, and receive training in mental health, food safety, first aid and fire safety. People with a history of mental illness or criminal records are barred from the occupation, it said. Home nursery care providers should register with local market supervision authorities and health authorities and will be subject to on-site inspections.
They are also required to install video surveillance cameras to cover all living and play areas and footage should be stored for at least 90 days. At such a facility, children must be offered daily care, balanced diets and early childhood education, it said.
The regulation added that community officials should step up the management and supervision of home nursery care providers and report problems to local health commissions promptly. “Families with babies aged three or under are in need of care services that are nearby and convenient, and in-home nursery care facilities that make use of residential places in neighborhoods can meet such demands and create convenience for parents to drop off and pick up their kids,” said Mao Zhuoyan, a professor at Capital University of Economics and Business’ School of Labor Economics.
–The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
