LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF HOME-BASED CHILDCARE CENTRES IN MALAYSIA; ARE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AWARE?

Home-based childcare (HBCC) services are among the childcare services available in Malaysia, as ensconsced in the Child Care Centre Act 1984. In Malaysia, HBCC providers are only allowed to care for a minimum of four and a maximum of 10 children. However, this definition does not include small home-based childcare services or childminders who care for less than four children. Employing the qualitative method of content analysis, this study discusses the laws and regulations governing HBCC in Malaysia, particularly the legal requirements that need to be fulfilled. This is further supported by interviews conducted with childcare providers who look after children at their home to examine their level of understanding of the legal requirements under Malaysian childcare laws and regulations. Findings indicate, among others, that the HBCC operators are unaware of the need to register with the Social Welfare Department. The adherence to the legal requirements for this HBCC should not be taken lightly, as it is crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of children. Consequently, greater efforts are required to ensure the children's health and safety because the current procedures rely solely on the experience and expertise of the childcare providers. This paper contributes to the extent of knowledge of HBCC in Malaysia especially towards policy makers, child care operators and parents by exploring the experiences of HBCC childcare providers. It is proposed that continuous improvements need to be made to the laws and regulations on HBCC in ensuring high quality services of HBCC.