NHRC notice to govt over conditions at day care centres

National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Centre over alleged improper conditions at various creches across the country, asserting it was time to bring standardisation and certification for day care centres based on stringent norms.
The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of the condition of creches and day care centres following a media report about the alleged inhuman and barbaric treatment meted out to a 10-month-old baby by the caretaker of a creche, where she was being dropped by her parents in Kharghar area of Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.
In this context, the Commission has also taken note of an editorial comment an English daily, wherein, quoting experts, it was remarked that "children left at day care centres are at risk because the government does not have any regulation over this sector".

The NHRC today said it has asked the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development through its Secretary to share with it, the exiting guidelines or regulations, if any, governing this area of child protection, and has been given six weeks to respond.
"It is probably about time that standardisation along with a certification process for day care centres based on stringent norms are put in place," it said in a statement.
"What is worse, even teachers and attendants do not have to be qualified for the work. In countries like Britain and the United Arab Emirates, day care staffers need to be qualified in baby-sitting courses," the NHRC said.

As more and more families become nuclear and women go out to work, there will be a spurt in demand for such day care centres, it observed.
On the 10-month-old baby case, the Commission noted that though the government of Maharashtra has reportedly acted with alacrity and ordered installation of CCTV cameras in creches or day care centres and play schools, "yet detailed nationwide guidelines are necessary" for monitoring and regulating them for secure and safe care of the young children, of working population, whether in private or in public sectors.
In case any untoward incident comes into notice of the authorities, the victim child should immediately be provided with proper counselling and if needed consultation of a psychiatrist apart from the legal action against the erring staff or owner of the centre, it added.