SHAH ALAM - The Selangor government is working on streamlining the local authorities’ (PBT) requirements for the registration of home-based childcare centres to enable operators to continue their business.
State Public Health, Unity, Women and Family Development Committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud said all childcare centres registered under Act 308 of the Child Care Centre Act 1984 must comply with the regulations set by the local authority (PBT ) in their respective areas.
However, she received complaints that the conditions set for those operating from homes differed according to areas and were also too strict.
Following that, she said an engagement session to discuss the issue was held on March 6 together with the relevant departments and agencies to review and standardise the conditions set, thus simplifying the application process to encourage child care operators to register their business.
"Following the session, we wrote a letter to Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri to extend the one year period for the registration of home-based childcare centres that are still within the certificate validity period," she said in reply to an oral question from Michelle Ng Mei Sze (DAP-Subang Jaya) during the state assembly sitting today.
She said it was also proposed to KPWKM not to include home-based childcare centres under Act 308 as the regulations were only intended for institutional, workplace and community centres.
Meanwhile, to a supplementary question from Datuk Mohd Shamsudin Lias (BN-Sungai Burong) on the steps taken by the state government to encourage the provision of a creche in the workplace, Siti Mariah said several offices are not equipped with the necessary facilities.
"Without these facilities they would not be able to meet the requirements set by the PBT, the fire department and the state health department.
"Usually they will fail at the PBT level, in fact, some operators find it difficult to meet the conditions set by the PBT even though they have obtained a grant from KPWKM for renovation of their centres," she said. - BERNAMA