Youth, Work and Employment Minister Louis Galea and Social Affairs and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina presented the document at the launch of a national consultation process related to childcare services.
Minister Galea said that research also shows that early childhood services have become a necessity, due to changing labour market trends. This is also evident from the statistics of children attending state kindergarten – 98 per cent of the children within this age bracket attend kindergarten.
“Research has demonstrated that the first few years of a child’s life are crucial in his development and therefore, the quality of childcare services in early years has a direct impact on the child’s achievement in compulsory schooling, life skills acquisition and opportunities available later on in adulthood,” said Dr Galea.
The consultation document was drawn up by the Technical Committee on Child Day Care (TCCDC) set up in May 2002. The committee was given the brief to study the national situation with respect to day services for children and propose national standards that would encourage, promote and ensure the provision of high quality educational day services, founded on the Rights of the Child, said Minister Cristina. “Early childhood education and care indicate that a child will have a better chance for self-actualisation in adult life,” she added.
The initial section of the consultation document presents the reader with the principles, standards and regulations. It provides the background to the document and identifies the way forward regarding the services themselves and the consultation process that is being launched.
The document then focuses on childcare provided through centres. This section gives a detailed overview of what such services should entail and aspects pertaining to the same type of service, which would be regulated.
The final part of the document focuses on childcare services within the carer’s own home. This section addresses similar aspects as for centre-based care, but relates to those which have been adapted to the home setting.
When focusing on childcare centres and home-based centres, the document discusses issues such as suitability of staff and their qualifications, the physical environment where care is provided, including premises and equipment, the health and safety of children, a programme of activities that promotes care and learning, the relationship between caring staff and parents and policies and procedures to be adopted by the caring facility.
Minister Cristina explained that the consultation process will take place within the coming weeks through a three-tiered system, in an attempt to encourage all interested parties and those involved in the sector to come forward with their comments and feedback.
The TCCDC will be meeting entities directly related to early childhood education and care on an individual basis. Group meetings will also be held for interested groups such as service providers and parents. The general public is invited to send in comments by any one of the
following means:
Postal address – Child Care Consultation Process, Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity Palazzo Ferreria, Republic Street, Valletta CMR 02,
Telephone: 2590-3133, 2590-3132, Fax: 2590-3135, e-mail: [email protected]
The document is available on both Ministries’ websites:
www.education.gov.mt
www.welfare.gov.mt
Mrs Cristina further explained that this consultation process precedes the establishment of regulation and licensing procedures that will directly affect those currently offering childcare services and those having the intention to do so in the future.
Such entities and persons, including those offering a service from their own home, are encouraged to contact the TCCDC for guidance with respect to the upgrading of their services in order to meet the established regulations. The whole consultation process will be concluded by the end of September.
Both ministers stressed the fact that setting and achieving high standards in early childhood is an investment in the well-being of the country’s citizens and the country itself.