On Monday, 08 October 2018, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development, Dr Mpho Phalatse, led a delegation on an inspection of Early Childhood Development centers in Orange Farm that continue to face challenges related to compliance.
The Early Childhood Development programs are well known as multi-level means of breaking the cycle of poverty and are hence a crucial component of local development. They are fundamental to the well-being of the preschool child population, especially in the poorest areas.
Photo by Gallo Images
The emotional, social and physical development of young children has a direct effect on their overall development and on the adult they will become. That is why understanding the need to invest in very young children is so important, so as to maximize their future well-being.
MMC Phalatse said the reality is that ECD facilities, especially those that are in poor areas are faced with compliance blockages that are barriers to meeting set legal requirements and the City’s role is to assist the ECD facilities to overcome these challenges in an endeavour to scale up access of ECD services.
“The purpose of this oversight visit was aimed at empowering owners of the Early Child Development (ECD) facilities with information that would assist them in having a clear understanding of what's expected of them. The City wants to gauge what's happening on the ground and how best we can help ECDs in this area reach compliant status,” said Phalatse.
In terms of the municipal by-laws, the ECD Centre is further required to attain a consent use certificate, an Emergency Management Services (EMS) fire certificate, a health permit and a certificate of acceptability if they are preparing food within the premises.
In terms of the Children’s Act the ECD Centre must also register as a Place of Care, provided they have complied with the municipality requirements. The Act also requires that all those working with the children receive a clearance from the sexual offenders register administered by the National Department of Social Development.
On the 30th of November 2016, the Executive Mayor launched the City’s revamped ECD programme that involved an extensive public, private partnership with the Hollard Foundation. This initiative targets the most under-privileged wards in our City. The City committed to ensuring that 400 non-compliant ECD centers across the City are compliant with land use by-laws.
