Any person, organisation or community can open a creche provided they contact the office of the Department of Social Development and Welfare nearest to the proposed centre so that they may obtain the necessary clearance certificate stating that the centre complies with all the structural and health requirements.
An early childhood development centre is subject to quality assurance review or inspection by the department of social development at least once a year. All applicants must also contact the local departments of education and health in the area where the centre is located, to find out if they have any other requirements.
These are some of the basic musts for childcare centres, according to the early childhood development guidelines provided by the department of social development, and should be among the things parents should look out for when choosing a facility for their children:
- Buildings must be clean and safe for young children. They must be protected from physical, social and emotional harm or threat of harm from themselves or others. All reasonable precautions must be taken to protect children and practitioners from the risk of fire, accidents and or other hazards.
- Inside - The floor should be covered with material that is suitable for children to play and sit on. There must be windows that give adequate light and, if possible, allow the children to see the outside world.
- Fresh drinking water must be available for the children.
- The outdoor area must be fenced with a gate that children cannot open. Children should not be able to leave the premises alone. Strangers should not be able to enter the premises without the knowledge of the staff.
- Children need space to move and exercise to develop their gross motor skills. They need space to run freely and play with outdoor equipment. The outside area can consist of lawn, sand pits, shady areas and hard surfaces.
- No poisonous or harmful plants may be grown on the premises.
- Each child must have enough space to move about freely, which means there should be 1,5m2 of indoor play space for a child and 2m2 of outdoor play space for a child.
- The premises should be disability friendly.
- If the same room space is used as a playroom, office and kitchen, each area must be clearly marked. The separate areas will consist of an area for play activities, an area for taking care of sick children, and an area for food preparation.
- Where more than 50 children are en-rolled for a full day, a separate office must be provided. The office should be large enough to accommodate a sickbay for at least two children.
- When the kitchen is in the same area as the playroom, it must be cornered off and safety requirements must be complied with. Children must be protected from the dangers of hot liquids and food and from fire and cooking fuels such as paraffin.
- Cleaning agents must be kept in their original containers and out of the reach.
- Provision must be made for the safe storage of anything that could harm children. Medicines, cleaning materials, cooking fuels (paraffin), sharp knives and kitchen utensils must be stored out of reach of children. Medicines and cleaning materials must be kept away from food.
- Where children who are bottle-fed are cared for, suitable facilities must be provided for cleaning the bottles. Bottles must be kept clean and washed regularly.
- Toilet facilities that are safe for children must be available. Where potties are used, the waste must be disposed of hygienically in a toilet. There must be one potty for every five toddlers.
- For older children (ages three to six) one toilet and one hand-washing facility must be provided for every 20 children, irrespective of gender.
- Doors on the children's toilet facilities should not have locks.
- Separate adult toilet and hand-washing facilities must be provided for the staff in terms of the National Building Regulations.
- All furniture and equipment must be safe and in good repair. This means that, for example: seating and working surfaces must be available, and beds, mattresses or mats for sleeping and resting on must be safe and clean.
- If there is a sand pit, it should be covered overnight so that animals cannot soil it. It must be cleaned regularly by sprinkling it with coarse salt every six weeks or by wetting the sand with a bleach solution. The sand must be replaced at least once a year.
- If there is a swimming pool on the premises, the requirements of the local authority must be met. The swimming pool must be covered by a net and have a surrounding fence of sufficient height and a lockable gate.
- If pets are kept on the premises, they must be tame, clean, safe, healthy and well cared for. Insects and vermin must be effectively combated.
- Children must be provided with at least one meal a day by either parents or the centre.
- The medical history of each child should be recorded and kept up to date and confidential. Details of the child's immunisation against polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, measles, hepatitis B, tuberculosis and HIB (Haemophilus influenza Type B) should be recorded.
- Staff must be trained in first aid.-