KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 265 workplace nurseries, involving both government and private sector agencies nationwide registered with the Social Welfare Department last year, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Wednesday.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said that of the total, 221 nurseries were provided by the public sector, while another 44 were in the private sector.
"The ministry always supports employers' efforts to establish nurseries at workplaces. This serves as a support system for parents, enabling them to be more committed to their work, improve service quality and increase productivity.
"Any government or private sector agency wishing to establish a nursery can contact the department to get advice on the necessary processes and procedures,” she said in reply to a question from Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad (PN- Kepala Batas), who wanted to know whether the ministry had any plan to set up a daycare centre at government premises, especially in the Parliament area, during the question and answer session.
Meanwhile, in response to a supplementary question from Fong Kui Lun (PH-Bukit Bintang) about the government's efforts to address child abuse and fatalities in nurseries, Nancy advised childcare centre operators to register with the department.
"We also have a standard operating procedure (SOP) that is often improved, and this SOP is not intended to cause inconvenience to nursery operators but to assist them.
"Apart from that, we will make sure that closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras are in place to monitor activities (at nurseries) and ensure safety,” she said.
Nancy said that the ministry is also working with the police to conduct comprehensive background checks on babysitters, ensuring that only qualified individuals are hired to provide childcare services. - Bernama
