It’s tough to find the perfect childcare centre for your child. And the decision gets more complicated when budget, location and reputation gets added into the picture. And reputation is most difficult to ascertain. The last thing you want is to find signs of daycare abuse in your children.
Choosing a childcare centre is important as it involves a child’s formative years. Signs of daycare abuse is evident and is often highlighted by other parents or the media, so be sure to do your research. | Source: Pexels
Signs of daycare abuse revealed by shocking video
This is true in this case where eight employees in a childcare centre have been sentenced to jail for abusing children under their care in November last year.
The employees abused the toddlers by shoving spicy mustard to their mouths. They also forced the poor children to smell the spicy mustard – its strong smell making them cry.
Warning: You may be disturbed watching this video.
Online reports have revealed the childcare centre to be operated by Shanghai Women’s Federation at the Ctrip headquarters. Ctrip is China’s biggest online travel booking website, and owns Skyscanner. The childcare centre has since closed.
This unfortunate case only came to light when video footage of the employees were leaked and went viral online.
More clips emerged after the footage became viral. The latest clips show what looks like angry parents taking revenge by shoving the spicy mustard into an accused female employee’s mouth. Police were on hand trying to hold back the angry parents.
While the situation is deeply depressing, we do not condone parents to take the law onto their own hands. It is far better to choose the right childcare centre instead and avoid ever seeing signs of daycare abuse.
How to choose the right childcare centre
Choosing the right childcare centre can be a daunting task. Here’s what you should be looking out for. | Source: Pexels
There are plenty of legal childcare centres in Singapore. But picking the right one is important, especially in your child’s formative years. The best childcare centre should deliver an exceptional level of care and early learning experience. Here’s the key criteria you should be looking for:
Budget. Before you go out searching for childcare centres, it’s best to determine your budget first. You may have to fork out more for better childcare centres.
Location. Decide if the childcare centre should be nearer to home or your work place. It should be in the most convenient spot to pick them up.
Licenses. Pay a personal visit to the childcare centres you shortlisted. Check to see if centre is government accredited.
Reputation. Like the above news story, this can be a little difficult. Your best bet is to ask other parents who sent their kids to the childcare centre. Or go one step further and conduct a background check. A Google search is a good place to start.
More tips on choosing the right childcare centre…
Credentials. Ask the childcare centre’s manager about the centre’s policies and credentials. Questions like, “What’s the minimum qualifications of the teachers?” Or “How do you discipline the children?”.
Curriculum. Childcare centres may conduct one of the following pre-school programmes: Montessori, Project, Integrated or Whole Language. Do your research to find out which best suits your child.
Environment. Bring your child when you visit to ascertain if its comfortable for him or her. Do you think its the best place for your child? Also take note if the centre has installed CCTVs.
Safety. Lastly, check the centre’s safety policies. Are classrooms child proof? Is the equipment and tools in the centre child friendly? Are there medical supplies in an emergency? And what is the emergency plan in case of a fire?
Read more: Daycare kids found drugged and tied up: Do you know the danger signs of a bad daycare?
