Child Care Operations Briefing 2017 - CHILD CARE LICENSING - ECDA

Child Care Operations Briefing
            2017

         CHILD CARE LICENSING

Quiz

• How many child care centres are there today?

• What is the percentage of 24mths licence?

• What is the percentage of 12mths licence?

• What is the percentage of 6mths licence?

Licence Tenure (Oct 2016)
                6-mth; 1.9%

                              12-mth; 14.5%

24-mth; 83.7%

1.Objectives of Briefing

• To brief operators / supervisors
on the licensing requirements in
operating child care centres.

Briefing Outline
• ECDA’s Role in licensing
   Assessment (5 dimensions)
   Criteria for recommending licence
• Administrative and Operational
  Guidelines
• Child Care Link System (CCLS)
• Questions and Answers

2. ECDA’s Role in Licensing

• To regulate and license child
care centres to ensure acceptable
standards of care for children
placed in centre-based care

3. What is Your Role?

• To comply with licensing
  requirements
• To provide quality standard of care
  services for the children in your
  centre

Why Compliance?
  • Meet legislative requirements

(bound by Child Care Centres Act & Regulations )
              statutes.agc.gov.sg
       Toppan Lee Fung Pte Ltd, #18-01
         Great World City East Tower

4. Why Quality Care?
         Children’s
          Interest

Happy                   Happy
 Staff                 Children

         Quality
          Care
Happy                  Happy
 Boss                  Parents

         Increase in
         Enrolment

5. Types of Visits

•   1st Visit for new centres
•   Licence Renewal
•   Supervision
•   Investigation of Feedback
•   Health Checks
•   Others

6. Assessment on Licensing
                 Standards
                       Physical
                      environment

Safety, Health,                       Programme and
  Hygiene &                             Curriculum
  Nutrition                5
                      Dimensions
                          of
                      Assessment

   Staff Training &
   Qualifications /
                                    Administration
       Staffing
    Requirements

Assessment on Licensing Standards

    • Not Met
1   • No/Some Evidence

    • All Met
2

    • At least 75% Met
3

Physical Environment
• Safe and secure
• Sufficient Space
• Clean and well-maintained
• Stimulating learning
    environment
•   Sufficient / Variety
    equipment & materials

Physical Environment

• Children are overcrowded in a few small areas
• Insufficient gross/fine motor equipment and
  materials
• Furniture and equipment not well maintained
• Wet and slippery toilet floor
• Toys and other objects handled by children are not
  washed and sterilized at least 2 - 3 times a week (if
  HFMD outbreak, disinfect daily)

Quiz
1. What would you do when you have a parent who
tells you that her daughter was “touched” by a boy
during nap?

2. What would you do if you have a special needs
child in the centre and your staff cannot cope?

3. What do you need to put in place when you want
to conduct a meeting during nap time?

Safety, Health, Hygiene &
                  Nutrition

• Safety measures
• Supervision
• Fire Evacuation / First Aid
• Handling Sick Children
• Hygiene Measures
• Menu Planning

Safety, Health , Hygiene &
                           Nutrition

• Power points/cleaning agents are within children’s
  reach
• Exits/stairs/escape routes are blocked
• Kitchen door / safety gates are not latched
• First aid supplies are inadequate / expired
• Personal Effects not maintained
• No Toiletries (liquid soap, toilet paper, hand drying facilities)
• No daily health check upon arrival

Quiz
4. How do you prevent children from wandering out from the
centre?

5. What would you advise your teacher if there is a “biter” in
her class and parents are very unhappy about it and insists on
meeting the “biter’s” parents?

6. What immediate actions do you need to take when a child has
a fall in your centre?

7. How do you manage your class during shower time?

Burns and Scalding –
                              Shower

•   Check temperature of Water and turn lever to cold water (how
    long does the teacher need to test the water?)

Burns and Scalding –
             Shower and Cookery lessons

• Type of tap lever
• Cooking pots and pans with metal handles
• Placing adult beverages
• Filling tub with hot water (where should the child be
  placed?)

Haze
• Measures to be taken during Haze period
• Appropriate type of air purifier and sufficient numbers
  (get more if you need)
• Communication with parents on haze management
  measures
• Responding to ECDA advisories / SMS / Survey

Staffing Requirements
Age of Children     Staff- Children Staff –Children     Teacher/            Para-
(Group type)        Ratio           Ratio (with para-   Educarer Training   Personnel
                                    personnel)                              Training

2 mths – 18 mths    1:5             NA                  EY 1 (CITC/CIC)     NA
(Infant/Toddlers)

18 mths – 30 mths   1:8             2 : ___             L1 (CPT/CECCE)      Fundamentals
(Playgroup)                                             EY2 (CEY)

30 mths – 3+ yrs    1 : 12          2 : ___             L1 (CPT/CECCE)      Fundamentals
(N1)
3+ yrs – 4+ yrs     1 : 15          2 : ___             L1 (CPT/CECCE)      Fundamentals
(N2)

4+ yrs – 5+ yrs     1 : 20          2 : ___             L2 (DPT/ DECCE-T)   CPT/
(K1)                                                                        CECCE

5+ yrs – 6+ yrs     1 : 25          2 : ___             L2 (DPT/ DECCE-T)   CPT/
(K2)                                                                        CECCE

Staffing Requirements
               *Please note*
1 April 2013
• All teachers teaching K1 and K2 must be
  certified at L2 (Licensing Standards)

Assessment of Licensing Standards
   DIMENSION              NOT MET         FULLY MET   COMMENDABLE

3.7 All K1 and K2    No             Yes               NA
   teachers are
   certified at L2
   level

CRITERIA FOR RECOMMENDING THE TENURE OF LICENCE (WEF 1 Apr 2013)

                            Criteria                              6-mth           12-mth           24-mth

1. Weighted score of the various dimensions in the checklist   Less than 70%   Less than 85%    85% and above

2. Supervisor possesses at least a Diploma in Pre-School            No              Yes              Yes
   Education Leadership (DPEL) / Diploma in Early
   Childhood Care and Education – Leadership (DECCE-L)

3. Teachers teaching K1 and K2 certified at L2 level           Less than 50%   50% and above   50% and above

4. Teacher-child ratio met - at least a teacher trained at          No              Yes              Yes
   Certificate in Pre-School Teaching (CPT) /
   Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education
   (CECCE) or certified at L1 level in each class in
   accordance with the stipulated staff-child ratio in Child
   Care Centres Regulations

5. Educarers trained in Certificate in Infant/Toddler Care &   Less than 45%   Less than 60%    60% and above
   Development (for centres providing infant / toddler care)

6. Submission of annual audited statement of subsidy claims         No              Yes              Yes

7. Issuance of warning letter                                       Yes             No               No

Para Personnel *Please note*

•1 class – 1 para personnel
(no increase in number of children with
more para- personnel)

• Only para-educators can stand in for
teachers (not more than 3 – 5 days in a
quarter, staff-child ratio)

• Ask for approval (regular arrangements)

Children Management
     No Form of Corporal
   Punishment is Allowed !!!
  •   Isolation of child
  •   Verbal abuse of children(labeling)
  •   Threatening children
  •   Lack of supervision

Children Management
        Type of Feedback (2013)                 Total
Safety / Precautionary measures       218

Mismanagement of Children             278

Staff-child Ratios                    125

                  Force feeding ; patting cheeks to make children
                  eat faster
                  Flicking ears with fingers
                  Isolating children in a dark room without
                  supervision
                  Banging on table to get children’s attention
                  Making children stand on tables or chairs

Good practice
Create a child-safe environment :
Staff training / Staff supervision
Creating clear boundaries / Code of Conduct
Protective behaviours of children
Management strategies

Promotion of children
Stagger promotion

Physical environment
Classroom layout

Good practice
Deployment of Staff
Arrangement of working hours

Whistle-blowing policy
Secure feedback channel for staff

Staff Welfare
Happy Staff, Happy Children!

Report serious incident

Quiz
8. What safeguards can you put in place to ensure children are
   fetched by the right authorized person?

9. What should you do with children who do not want to finish
   their food?

10. Besides staff-child ratio, what other mandatory ratio must
  the centre meet?

11. Where can you find all the SOPs / Guidelines?

Programme & Curriculum

• Kindergarten Curriculum
  Framework (KCF)
• Parent-Teachers Partnership
• SOPs (children management &
  managing parents’ feedback)
• Staff-child interaction
• Family Resource Centre

Programme & Curriculum

• No accumulative lesson plans /
  lesson plans not reflective
• No annual evaluation with parents
• No Family Resource Centre

Administration

•  Log book incomplete / not updated with information on
   centre’s operational matters (important events, incidents,
   accidents and illnesses).
• No / Incomplete records of written authorization from
   parents for emergencies.
• Food handlers not sent for Basic Food/Hygiene course.
• Employ staff who has not gone for pre-medical clearance

Administration
•    Children’s attendance not maintained
•    Administration of Medication (name of medicine omitted /
     time not recorded / no signature)
•    Staff do not have pre-employment medical clearances

(Quiz) :
- Under the new pre-employment medical form, what tests do new staff
  need to undergo? M__________, R_________, V___________
- If infected before, do they need to receive immunisation?
- Can staff take immunisation if they do not want to do a
  blood test?

New (SPARK)
•Fire extinguishers are positioned at an acceptable level
approved by SCDF
•A portable first aid kit is available for outdoor use
•Posting of hand washing procedures at a prominent place which
is within children’s eye-level
•Toilets are partitioned; and at least one cubicle (for N2 to K2
children) has its own door / curtain to provide privacy
•Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) which are up-to-date and
easily accessible
        - emergency evacuation
        - Health-related issue
•Has a crisis management committee

Before Licence Renewal
Time             ECDA          Centre                    Visit
6 mths before    Send a LR     Get documents ready
licence expiry   reminder      Do self assessment

2 mths before                  Submit LR application
licence expiry                 All staff must have
                               LON**

1.5 – 2mths      Unannounced   Submit latest ACRA        Produce
                 LR Visit      printout (if relevant),   documents for
                               URA’s change of Use,      evidence
                               tenancy agreement,        Explain if need to
                               handbook (if changes)     Query if not sure

After Licence Renewal
Time               ECDA                   Centre
2 weeks after visit Send LR report        Update ECDA of status of
                                          deficiencies / areas for improvement
                                          within 2 weeks of receipt.
                                          Specify action plan / targeted
                                          rectification dates

After 14 days      Send a reminder

Licence is         Hard copy of licence   Send back the acknowledgement
approved           send                   receipt of licence

Coming Soon!
ECDA                                  ECDA
 Act                                  Regs

 Please take note and look out for email –
       EC Briefing (13 to 15th Feb)

7. Other Administrative and
    Operational Matters

8. Fee Change
• Affordable
• ECDA only acknowledges fee revision by centres;
   it is not an approval
• Rationale & extend assistance
• Submit Via CCLS
• Programme fees should be inclusive of :
       Educational materials / Readers
       Stationeries & Toiletries

Fee Change
• Fees for any particular year can only be effected if
  centre has:-

Inform parents and EDCA not later than 1 Oct of the
   preceding year

• Apply to both existing and new enrolment

9. Exceeding Cap / Special
                 Approval

• Assess parent’s needs
• Teacher / Staff child ratio
• Approval is temporary, must regularize
• Submit via CCLS (do not ask parents to
 approach ECDA)

10.Other Types of Programme

• Before & After School Care (10%)
• Special Needs (15%)
• Flexi Care (Teacher/Staff child ratio)
• Optional Programmes (guidelines)

11. Outbreak of
               Communicable Diseases
• MOH “Infection Control Guidelines for Schools and
    Child Care Centres” (www.moh.gov.sg/ Publications/
    Infectious Diseases Guidelines)
•   Report to MOH (via CD Lens) & ECDA (via CCLS)
•   Inform all parents IMMEDIATELY – Verbal and Written
•   Notice to be displayed at Parents’ Notice board
•   Submit self-assessment using ECDA’s Checklist on
    Health and Hygiene of Child Care Centres

Important to Note
                          Health Checks
• No Contact with children during visual checks.
• If there is contact, staff should use gloves and discard
    them after each use.
•   Staff should also wash hands after checking each
    child
    *Hand Sanitizers should be used only if hand washing facilities are not
    readily available and for emergency purposes only.

    ** Can log into CCLS and CDN – hyperlink to HPB’s website on hygiene
     practices for staff’s reference

Communicable Disease
                     Management
                   Scenarios                    Letter to certify
          (Please refer to the table below)       fit to return

Child recovers from infectious disease, is            ___
WELL (no more symptoms) and returns on
expiry of MC
Child recovers from flu, cough and cold, is           ___
WELL (no more symptoms) and returns on
expiry of MC
Child is WELL and returns to centre on expiry
of MC, but needs to consume medication.               ___

12. Notification Period

•   The guidelines can be downloaded from :
    https://www.childcarelink.gov.sg/ccls/uploads/docs/1391647
    464759_Guidelines_Notification_period_to_parents_and_EC
    DA.pdf

13. Others
• Food - no pork, no lard, no beef and from halal sources

HOWEVER, allow children to consume food brought from
  home due to dietary requirements

• Incident Reporting:
    SOP on handling incidents / accidents
    To report significant incidents/accidents within 24 hours of the
     occurrence, to the respective licensing officer-in-charge of the
     centre.
    Template can be downloaded from CCLS upon login

• Suspected Child Abuse – 1800-258 6378 (Child
  Protection)

Others
• Transport – LTA requirements, bus attendant,
  declaration

• Centre Closure days (guidelines in CCLS)
     ___ days (____ days for closure, ____ days for staff training)
       ___ eves on _______

• CPD Days
       ___ days per year

• HPB’s guide: ‘Screening for Hand, Foot and Mouth
  Disease’
http://www.hpb.gov.sg/HOPPortal/content/conn/HOPUCM/path/Contribution%2
   0Folders/uploadedFiles/HPB_Online/Educational_Materials/Screening%20for
   %20HFMD_A%20guide%20for%20pre-schools.pdf

Others
• Emergency Contacts (CCLS, licensee’s details)

• Update Email address in CCLS – receive mails

• Information / Resources / Materials in CCLS
   • ( Parents’ Guide – Parents must be given a copy and acknowledge)
   • ( Special Needs, Good Practice, Infant Care Guidelines)

• Trial Period

• Allowing parents to accompany children during first few days

• Fire Evacuation Talks

• Singapore Police Force

Others

Please read your emails frequently!

Awards

Conclusion

Conclusion

Conclusion
“It is easier to build strong children than
to repair broken men.”
- Frederick Douglass

Question and Answer

Briefing on Licensing
         Module –
Child Care Link System (CCLS)

Click here to
Login via
Singpass

Enter SingPass ID

Enter SingPass
Password

Click
Submit

Click here
                to Logout                   2) Click here to
                                            Proceed to the
                                            admin screens

Online Survey
                                     1) Select role as
                                     Child Care Centre User

                        Click here to do the Online Survey

Click on Home Page Modules to see the function within it. You
  can click on the function to see the postings in the Bulletin Board.

 Click here to exit
 from the system

Click here to go back to the
Operators Homepage

1) Select your “Centre Name”
and click “Query”.

Click on the “Centre Code”
to see the Centre Particulars

You can make changes to
the following data* and
click “submit” to save
changes.
*Tel / Fax no, Contact
Person, Email ID, Website
Address and Contact Details
– brief write-up about the
centre
Update Emergency Contact

Click Add to report any
infectious diseases

A copy of the checklist is
to be submitted to ECDA

Key in Centre Code and select
Query, then click Apply to
proceed with the application.

One application
is for one child

The number of
children exceeding
capacity should be an
accumulative record
after deducting
withdrawals.

     Note: Approval for
     Special Admission is
     on case to case
     basis.

Reasons for exceeding
               capacity/ special admission
               To indicate staff-child ratio for
               the relevant age group,
               teacher’s training levels, etc

To indicate if centre has been given prior
approval to exceed capacity

Click on the hyperlinked centre code to
      retrieve the Licence Renewal Application.

Note: CCLS will prompt centre for renewal
about 2 - 2½ months before licence expiry date.

Note: Submit hard copies of
documents (URA-Change of
use, latest ACRA printout,
tenancy agreement) to your
officer.

To update – under
“Centre Particulars”

HELP
For more information, you can contact our
       Toll Free Information Line :
               6258 – 5812
   or your respective licensing officer

   Website: www.childcarelink.gov.sg
(refer to `Publications’ or `FAQs’ section)

We wish you all the best
in providing quality care & education
          for young children