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 Children

Happy Parents

Increase in Enrolment

Happy Boss

Happy Staff

Quality

Care

5. Types of Visits

• 1st Visit for new centres

• Licence Renewal

• Supervision

• Investigation of Feedback

• Health Checks

• Others

5 Dimensions

of Assessment

Physical environment

Programme and Curriculum

Administration

Staff Training & Qualifications /

Staffing Requirements

Safety, Health, Hygiene &Nutrition

6. Assessment on Licensing Standards

Assessment on Licensing Standards

1

• Not Met

• No/Some Evidence

2• All Met

3• At least 75% Met

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)

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?

Quiz

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

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?

Quiz

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 RequirementsAge of Children(Group type)

Staff- Children Ratio

Staff –ChildrenRatio (with para-personnel)

Teacher/Educarer Training

Para-PersonnelTraining

2 mths – 18 mths(Infant/Toddlers)

1 : 5 NA EY 1 (CITC/CIC) NA

18 mths – 30 mths(Playgroup)

1 : 8 2 : ___ L1 (CPT/CECCE)EY2 (CEY)

Fundamentals

30 mths – 3+ yrs (N1)

1 : 12 2 : ___ L1 (CPT/CECCE) Fundamentals

3+ yrs – 4+ yrs(N2)

1 : 15 2 : ___ L1 (CPT/CECCE) Fundamentals

4+ yrs – 5+ yrs(K1)

1 : 20 2 : ___ L2 (DPT/ DECCE-T) CPT/CECCE

5+ yrs – 6+ yrs(K2)

1 : 25 2 : ___ L2 (DPT/ DECCE-T) CPT/CECCE

Staffing Requirements

1 April 2013

• All teachers teaching K1 and K2 must be

certified at L2 (Licensing Standards)

*Please note*

DIMENSION NOT MET FULLY MET COMMENDABLE

3.7 All K1 and K2 teachers are certified at L2 level

No Yes NA

Assessment of Licensing Standards

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-SchoolEducation Leadership (DPEL) / Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education – Leadership (DECCE-L)

No Yes Yes

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 Certificate in Pre-School Teaching (CPT) / Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education (CECCE) or certified at L1 level in each class inaccordance with the stipulated staff-child ratio in Child Care Centres Regulations

No Yes Yes

5. Educarers trained in Certificate in Infant/Toddler Care & Development (for centres providing infant / toddler care)

Less than 45% Less than 60% 60% and above

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 ManagementType 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

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?

Quiz

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 RenewalTime ECDA Centre Visit

6 mths before licence expiry

Send a LR reminder

Get documents ready Do self assessment

2 mths before licence expiry

Submit LR applicationAll staff must have LON**

1.5 – 2mths UnannouncedLR Visit

Submit latest ACRA printout (if relevant), URA’s change of Use, tenancy agreement, handbook (if changes)

Produce documents for evidenceExplain if need toQuery if not sure

After Licence RenewalTime 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 approved

Hard copy of licence send

Send back the acknowledgement receipt of licence

Coming Soon!

ECDA

Act

ECDA

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

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

Important to Note

Communicable Disease Management

Scenarios

(Please refer to the table below)

Letter to certify 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/1391647464759_Guidelines_Notification_period_to_parents_and_ECDA.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%20Folders/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

Click

Submit

Enter SingPass

Password

1) Select role as

Child Care Centre User

2) Click here to

Proceed to the

admin screens

Click here

to Logout

Online Survey

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

Note: CCLS will prompt centre for renewal

about 2 - 2½ months before licence expiry date.

Click on the hyperlinked centre code to

retrieve the Licence Renewal Application.

Note: Submit hard copies of

documents (URA-Change of

use, latest ACRA printout,

tenancy agreement) to your

officer.

To update – under

“Centre Particulars”

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)

HELP

We wish you all the best

in providing quality care & education

for young children