As of July, 82 childcare centres have been registered under the Community Development Department (JAPEM). Of these, 69 operate in the Brunei-Muara District, four in the Tutong District and nine in the Belait District. No centres have been registered in the Temburong District.

Childcare centres are operated by both private individuals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Currently, four centres are managed by NGOs.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Nazmi bin Haji Awang Mohamad shared this in response to a question by Legislative Council (LegCo) member Yang Berhormat Chong Chin Yee on easing the burden of childcare and encouraging women participation in the workforce during the Second Meeting of 21st LegCo Session yesterday.

On the fee payment of sending children, the minister said, “It is subject to the childcare centre based on the current market rate and also the type of service offered by the childcare centre. According to information received by JAPEM, on average, the fee for a child is BND200 per month.”

He explained, “The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports encourages more childcare centres to be established to help ease the burden of care and encourage women’s participation in the workplace. As previously shared, the ministry through JAPEM prepared a draft child daycare guidelines at work premises as an added value to the current childcare service.”

He outlined, “One of the objectives of establishing the in-house day care is to provide easier and more affordable access to care for working parents. It will also avoid or reduce the need for employees to go out from office. With such in-house day care, it will be able to support parents, especially working women, in dealing with childcare issues and support the balance of childcare and career towards a harmonious family life.”

According to findings shared by the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, workplaces that provide in-house day care are more likely to attract and retain work talent. At the same time, it will also increase productivity in the workplace.

He also shared, “Research on women development in Brunei Darussalam found that 46 per cent of female respondents stated that the main challenge of joining the workforce was due to childcare issues.”

The studies show that childcare centres are mostly used by higher-income families, which means more effort is needed to make these services available to everyone, including in government workplaces. Providing affordable and accessible childcare is important to support working families and creating a family-friendly work environment.

On the monitoring of childcare centres by enforcement authorities to safeguard the welfare and well-being of children in accordance with Children and Young Persons Act, Chapter 219 brought up by LegCo member Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Haji Mohd Yusof, the minister said, “The JAPEM director has been gazetted as the Registrar of Childcare Centres under Section 11 of the Childcare Centres Act, Chapter 218. Accordingly, JAPEM is responsible for monitoring the establishment of childcare centres throughout the Sultanate.

“Under the National Framework of Child Protection, owners, managers, carers and parents/guardians play a key role in protecting children and have a responsibility to report once received child protection cases. Signs of child abuse include physical, sexual, emotional, neglect and so on,” the minister said.

“According to Children and Young Persons Act, Chapter 219, Section 26 (1), if the centre believes on reasonable grounds that a child is being physically or emotionally harmed as a result of ill-treatment, neglect, abandonment or exposure, or sexual abuse, they must immediately inform the protector (JAPEM).”

He warned that any childcare centre that fails to comply with subsection (1) is committing an offence and if found guilty can face a fine not exceeding BND5,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both.

He added, “The enforcement authority always ensure that childcare centres comply with the Children and Young Persons Act (2006), particularly in the areas of protection, nutrition, health, hygiene, welfare and safety. Inspection visits are carried out monthly, at least twice a week, including scheduled and unscheduled visits.

The minister shared, “Inspections are also carried every time when an application to establish or renew of license is submitted. This includes an assessment of the facilities, the ratio of caregivers to children and safe and quality care practices. The Childcare Centre Licensing Committee will also inspect each childcare centre to ensure that the centre complies with the standards and guidelines of the departments.”

From the aspect of nutrition, health and hygiene are monitored and inspected by the Ministry of Health through the Department of Health and Environmental Services. Childcare centre’s workers are required to obtain a food supervisor certificate, pass a health check and be certified healthy from infectious, chronic diseases or harmful to children.

The minister explained, “From the aspect of safety, supervision and protection, those are monitored and inspected by the Fire and Rescue Department as well as the Criminal Records and Fingerprint Unit to ensure that the buildings and infrastructure of the premises of the childcare centre are safe for children.

Meanwhile, from the aspect of welfare, he said, “It is monitored by the JAPEM where the welfare of children while at the childcare centre is ensured to be always guaranteed.”

He also cited that one initiative implemented is the introduction to ‘Infant and Children Training Programme for Caregivers’ from February 12 to July 11 aimed to increase quality of care and strengthen the competence of caregivers in addressing the needs of children and help reduce incidents of abuse and neglect.

(News source: Borneo Bulletin)