How do parents prefer to care for children during CMCO?

Question

Accepted Answer

Parents Prioritise Family and Home-Based Care Over Daycare Centres During CMCO

During the conditional movement control order (CMCO) period, parents are demonstrating a strong preference for alternative childcare arrangements over traditional daycare centres, primarily due to concerns about health risks. This shift involves a greater reliance on family members and live-in domestic helpers, while some parents who can work from home are managing childcare independently. Daycare centres, despite implementing stringent safety protocols, are experiencing significantly low attendance rates as parents adopt a cautious, wait-and-see approach.
Reliance on Family and Domestic Helpers

Many parents are choosing to have relatives, such as grandparents, move in to assist with childcare, or are employing live-in domestic helpers. This preference stems from a perception that these arrangements offer a more controlled and familiar environment, reducing the perceived risk of exposure to COVID-19 compared to a communal daycare setting. Legal consultant Danial Ashfari, for instance, brought his parents to his home to care for his two-year-old daughter, deeming it not worth the risk of sending her to daycare, even though the centre was reportedly very clean.
Work-From-Home Arrangements Impacting Childcare Choices

The ability for parents to work from home has become a significant factor in childcare decisions. For families where both parents can continue remote work, they are able to juggle childcare responsibilities themselves, thus avoiding the need for external childcare services. Theresa Chetty, for example, noted that she and her husband are working from home and can manage their son's care. However, she indicated that this arrangement is temporary, and they would need to seek alternative help if their employers mandated a return to the office.
Daycare Centres Face Low Attendance Despite Safety Measures

Childcare centres have reopened and are adhering to strict standard operating procedures, including social distancing and enhanced sanitisation, as mandated by authorities. Despite these efforts, attendance rates remain critically low. One operator in Petaling Jaya reported only two students attending on the first day and five on the second, out of 30 enrolled children, with many parents indicating they would wait until the end of the month to send their children.
Hesitancy Among Daycare Operators and Concerns About Staff

The challenges of enforcing social distancing among young children and concerns about staff commuting via public transport are causing some daycare centres to remain hesitant about reopening. While centres are equipped to manage premises cleanliness and the children's arrival from home, the potential risks associated with staff travel and the inherent difficulty in maintaining physical distancing among toddlers present significant operational hurdles. Furthermore, guidelines require childcare employees to test negative for Covid-19 before reopening, adding another layer of complexity.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

How do parents prefer to care for children during CMCO?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends