It's illegal to operate Day Care centres without permits

Obuasi, Nov 16, GNA - Dare Care Centres that are operating without permits from the Department of Social Welfare are contravening the laws of the country.

Mrs Patricia Kyeremateng, the Ashanti Regional Deputy Social Welfare Officer, who made the observation, stressed that "such centres must take steps to do the right thing before the law catches them up."

She was addressing the graduation ceremony of 80 Day Care Centre attendants, who had completed a five-week training programme, at Obuasi, on Early Childhood Care and Development Practices.

Mrs Kyeremateng said the centres play critical roles in the child's physical, emotional, intellectual and social development, therefore, proper steps should be taken in getting the centres established and managed.

"There must be essential facilities present at the centres for the welfare of the children for their physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual and social development," she emphasised. Mrs Kyeremateng who is in charge of Child Rights, Promotion and Protection, added that the centres should ensure that the children's safety and well-being were paramount, in addition to seeing to it that their rights were promoted and protected.

The Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, Alexander Kobina Ackon, in a speech read for him, commended the Department of Social Welfare for designing the training programme for the attendants, saying "in modern day society, professionalism has become the hallmark of any meaningful venture or enterprise".

He warned that Day care Centres that avoid such training programmes would not be permitted to operate in the Municipality. "It is important for all operators to be competent enough in the concepts, laws and policies on early childhood care and development to enable us ensure quality care for the children."

Mrs Beatrice Hammond, the Chairman of the Social Sub-Committee of the Municipal Assembly, who presided appealed to the public to give due recognition to the attendants on whom the quality character formation of children between ages to four rested.