Guidelines for RA 6972 Day Care Centers

Policy and purpose: day care in every barangay

The State policy is to defend the right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and to provide special protection against neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to development (Section 1).
The Circular establishes a Day Care Center in every barangay to provide total development and protection of children (Section 1).
The Circular treats the early years as decisive for future youth and adult development, emphasizing best care and attention at family and community levels (Section 1).

Core definitions for program implementation

A Day Care Service is an arrangement providing supplemental parental care to a child during part of the day where parents cannot attend to the child’s needs (Section 2.1).
Supplemental parental care is temporary care by the Day Care Worker that attends to the child’s needs, ensures comfort and safety, and provides creative experiences, mental stimulation, cognitive skills development, and value formation (Section 2.1).
A Child under the Act is a person six years of age and below (Section 2.2).
A potentially neglected child is one whose mother is working outside the home or is busy with home and other activities, leaving the child alone part of the day without an adult for care and supervision (Section 2.3).
A neglected child is one whose basic needs have been deliberately unattended or inadequately attended, including physical neglect and emotional neglect, and includes a child who is left unattended without proper supervision and provisions (Section 2.4).
An abused child is unreasonably deprived of basic needs for survival or inflicted with physical injuries by parents, guardians, or custodian to a degree that could seriously impair growth and development or result in permanent disability or even death, including sexual and psychological abuse (Section 2.5).
An abandoned child is one with no proper parental care whose parents deserted the child for at least 6 continuous months (Section 2.6).
An exploited child is one induced or forced by parents/guardians or other persons or circumstances to indulge in activities that endanger moral, emotional, and social development (Section 2.7).
A Day Care Center is a barangay facility where children 3 to 6 years old are cared for during part of the day by an accredited Day Care Worker (Section 2.8).
A Day Care Worker is a child care worker in a Day Care Center providing supplemental parental care and early childhood enrichment activities (Section 2.9).
A sanctuary home is a licensed foster home or a child caring facility in the area (Section 2.10).
Accreditation is the process of ensuring that minimum standards of day care service are met (Section 2.11).
An Accredited Day Care Center meets minimum standards of Day Care Service (Section 2.12).
An accredited day care worker is a child care worker trained on early childhood development who has met minimum requirements of a Day Care Worker (Section 2.13).

Scope: barangay service and child eligibility

Implementation follows guidelines for delivering Day Care Service in the community (Section 3).
A Day Care Center is established and operated as a barangay facility for children 3 to 6 years old, cared for during part of the day (Section 2.8; Section 3.1.2).
Only one day care center is established in every barangay (Section 3.1.2).
Care for children is provided by an accredited child care worker under the supervision of the Supervising Social Welfare Officer (Section 4.1.1).
Sanctuary and protective custody arrangements apply for abused, neglected, and exploited children (Section 4.2.1; Section 4.2.2).

Community needs, intake, and child assessments

Need determination is based on the number of pre-school children in the barangay (0–6 years old) from: (a) family/community survey, (b) barangay demographic profile, (c) results of the operation timbang, and (d) others (Section 3.1.1).
Data is shared with the barangay chairperson, who shares it with the community during an assembly (Section 3.1.2).
The Supervising Social Welfare Officer (SSWO) explains to the barangay council and community the rationale for early childhood development activities and plans to establish a day care center (Section 3.1.2).
The SSWO explains the need for an intake interview with parents to identify specific needs of each child (Section 3.1.2).
After the community assembly, the social worker schedules home visits to families of identified children for day care intake (Section 3.1.2).
Intake is individually conducted by the SSWO through home visit and interview using the attached intake form (Appendix A) (Section 3.1.3).
During intake, the SSWO explains to parents consent, birth certificate, immunization, child development checklist, and early detection and prevention of disability (Section 3.1.3).
Parents sign the intake form indicating consent for the child’s total development and protection, but consent is not required for children who are abused, neglected, and exploited (Section 3.1.3 a.1).
Parents must present the child’s birth certificate; if not registered, parents are assisted to ensure registration with the local Civil Registrar (Section 3.1.3 a.2).
The SSWO records immunization types and dates in the attached Initial and Annual Health Record (Section 3.1.3 a.3(1)).
Children not immunized are referred to the Health Center, with arrangements for mass immunization and medical and physical check-up (Section 3.1.3 a.3(2)).
Each child must have complete immunization for tuberculosis, diptheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, poliomyelitis, and such other diseases for which vaccines have been developed for administration to children up to six (6) years of age (Section 3.1.3 a.3(3)).
Using the home visit, the SSWO interviews parents and observes the child to accomplish the child development checklist, which becomes the basis for the DCW in preparation of the WPAG (Section 3.1.3 a.4).
The SSWO and DCW identify children with disabilities using the CDC, and make appropriate referrals when disabilities and illnesses are found (Section 3.1.3 a.5).

Day care services, protection, and referrals

Children receive care by an accredited child care worker during part of the day, and if feasible during the night while parents are at work, under the SSWO’s supervision (Section 4.1.1).
Children receive early childhood development activities including value formation, mental stimulation, and activities supervised play (Section 4.1.2).
Day Care Workers monitor children’s growth and nutrition monthly (Section 4.1.3).
Malnourished children are referred to the DSWD Unit Office for supplemental feeding (Section 4.1.4).
Foster homes are developed and maintained by the Senior Social Worker of DSWD for temporary placement of abused, neglected, or exploited children for protective custody (Section 4.2.1).
Where a licensed child caring facility exists, the Senior Social Worker coordinates referral of abused, neglected, and exploited children to that facility (Section 4.2.2).
A barangay-level support system and barangay-level “Bantay Bata” is established to respond urgently to victims’ needs and prevent further abuse, neglect, and exploitation (Section 4.2.3).
The barangay support system coordinates with the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (DCPC) or, if absent, the Barangay Development Council or any existing organization (Section 4.2.3).
The same group performs prevention through information dissemination, education, and advocacy, and performs protection and rehabilitation of victims and assistance to families (Section 4.2.3).
The group provides surveillance on illegal abortions and the presence of incompetent and untrained hilots (Section 4.2.3).
All pregnant mothers of Day Care children are motivated to receive pre-natal and neo-natal care and are referred to the Health Center (Section 4.3.1).
Pregnant mothers whose children are “enrollees” in the Feeding Centers receive appropriate supplemental feeding (Section 4.3.2).
Pregnant mothers not under the “enrollees” feeding category are referred to the Department of Health under their Food Assistance Program (Section 4.3.2).
Untrained hilots are provided at the Rural Health Unit with basic training for normal delivery and training to recognize high-risk pregnancies (Section 4.3.3).

Selection and training of day care workers

A day care worker must be female, 18 to 45 years old, and either single or married (Section 5.1.1).
A day care worker must be at least a high school graduate (Section 5.1.2).
A day care worker must be a resident of the barangay (Section 5.1.3).
A day care worker must be physically healthy, and if physically disabled, must be capable of performing required tasks (Section 5.1.4).
A day care worker must have a good moral character (Section 5.1.5).
A day care worker must preferably have experience working with pre-school children (Section 5.1.6).
A day care worker must undergo training and accept technical supervision from DSWD (Section 5.1.7).
A day care worker must render full time service as day care worker (Section 5.1.8).
A day care worker must sign a contract to serve for at least two (2) years and serve based on satisfactory performance (Section 5.1.9).
Initial screening is conducted by the SSWO in coordination with the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) if existing, and if not existing, coordination is made with the Barangay Development Council (Section 5.2.1).
Qualified applicants are endorsed to a Municipal Inter-agency Committee composed of DSWD, DILG, DOH, DECS, and LGU for final screening and selection (Section 5.2.2).
The Municipal Inter-agency Committee is chaired by a local government representative, preferably the Chairman of the Social Service Committee (Section 5.2.3).
All day care workers must undergo an on-the-job training (OJT) for one and a half months, conducted by the SSWO and the Day Care Worker-Trainor in the Resource Center, before assuming functions (Section 6.1).

Accreditation, monitoring, and allowance eligibility

Minimum standards for accreditation of a day care worker and day care center are separate and are set by the Bureau of Child and Youth Welfare of DSWD (Section 7.1.1).
Accreditation assessment is conducted by the DSWD Regional/provincial Office based on standards set, and then forwarded to the Bureau for issuance of an accreditation certificate (Section 7.1.2).
Day care centers operated by non-government agencies are accredited only upon issuance of a license to operate to the agency (Section 7.1.3).
Accreditation may be suspended or revoked when: the center is used for immoral purposes; children are neglected; the center is unsanitary and unfit for children; the center is located where children are unduly exposed to danger; the center shows incompetence or unworthiness by act or omission; or the center continuously deviates from DSWD policies and procedures after extension of technical assistance (Section 7.2.1 a–f).
Monitoring of day care implementation is conducted regularly by the Regional Office, and the SSWO visits all centers at least once a quarter (Section 8.1).
Technical assistance is provided by the Regional Office and the Bureau to maintain standards (Section 8.2).
The Bureau conducts regular audits to determine effectiveness of the service to children (Section 8.3).
A monthly allowance is available only to a day care worker who is: (a) an accredited Day Care Worker in an accredited Day Care Center, (b) conducting two sessions a day (four hours per session) in the same center, and (c) conducting sessions on ECD activities throughout the year (Section 9.1–9.3).

Transitory rules, funds, and implementing agencies

All accredited Day Care Workers who were already in service prior to the approval of the Act are entitled to the monthly allowance effective January 1991 (Section 10.1).
A Day Care Worker holding two accredited centers in separate barangays may receive a monthly allowance of P500.00 only, and in 1992 must concentrate in one Day Care Center (Section 10.2).
New Day Care Workers in 1991 receive the allowance upon assumption to duty, provided they are accredited (Section 10.3).
The Total Development and Protection for Children Program is implemented by the Sangguniang Barangay, which may call upon private volunteers to assist in care and provision of consultative services (Section 11.1).
The DSWD formulates criteria for selection qualifications, training, and accreditation of day care workers; sets standards for program implementation; coordinates government and non-government organizations’ activities; and protects and assists abused, neglected, or exploited children and calls upon other agencies to help (Section 11.2.1–11.2.4).
The Department of Interior and Local Government is tasked to organize the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children in every barangay (Section 11.3.1).
Monthly allowance is not less than P500.00 for one accredited Day Care Worker per barangay, taken from the DSWD budget appropriated for that purpose (Section 12.1).
Funds for establishment of new day care centers in selected depressed barangays depend on fund availability, and the concerned city, province, or municipality provides financial assistance for establishment within its locality (Section 12.2).
The Office of the President extends financial assistance in support of day care centers, taken from a portion of health programs under official aid or official debt arrangements from foreign countries (Section 12.3).