18 Tips for choosing a crèche

Following allegations about abuse at a Ferndale crèche, here is a guide that parents can use to inspect a potential crèche, before enrolling a child.

According to Chapter 14 of the Public Health Bylaws,the legislation states that child-care premises must have

• Adequate toilet and wash facilities for all children with a ratio of not more than 15 children for each toilet
• Separate napkin changing units
• Adequate wash facilities to clean children wearing napkins
• Adequate containers for the storage of clean and soiled napkins are required for facilities catering for children less than two years.

Child-care premises, on which children under compulsory school-going age are cared for, must be provided with an indoor play area which must:

• Be enclosed by buildings and structures constructed of materials and in a manner that ensures the health and safety of children using that area
• Have a floor which is smooth, easily washable and which prevents the permeation of dampness
• Have a play area with a minimum of 1,5 sqm free unobstructed floor space per child, or 3 sqm if no outdoor play area is provided, and which is divided by walls or removable partitions into separate indoor play areas in which children of 0–2 years, 2–4 years and 4 years up to compulsory school going age are cared for separately at all times.

For outdoor play areas, child-care premises must:

• Be free of any excavations, steps, projections, levels or any surface which may adversely impact on the health and safety of children using that area
• Provide a minimum outdoor play area of 2 sqm per child
• Have an adequate means of enclosure and a lockable gate to prevent a child leaving the premises on his or her own and to prevent the entrance of any animal and unauthorised person
• Separate indoor play areas in which children of 0–2 years, 2–4 years and 4 years up to compulsory school-going age play separately at all times.

According to the chapter, no person may provide a child-care service unless the child-care premises comply with the following additional requirements:

• Separate toilet and hand wash facilities must be provided for staff members
• An adequate sick-bay area for the treatment and care of any child
• An adequate kitchen area, where food is to be handled, prepared, stored and provided to children, must be provided
• Adequate child-sized seating and tables, sleeping places and blankets for each child.

The bylaw further states that no person may provide a child-care service unless the following safety measures are complied with:

• Children must be adequately protected against fires, hot water installations, electrical fittings and appliances, heating appliances and any other article, thing or substance that may be dangerous or cause injury to any child
• No noxious or poisonous or dangerous plant or shrub may be permitted on the premises
• No animals or birds may be kept on the premises.

Related article:

Crèche abuse case