Optimising Malaysian childcare safety performance, in light of management, and babysitting practices

Background: Safety practices play a vital role in childcare business, as childcare entails managing children’s daily life routines and preventing them from any harm. Aim: This study aims to explore the perspectives and awareness of childcare centres regarding the importance of childcare safety practices, babysitters’ traits and safety performance in Malaysian childcare business settings. In addition, this study seeks to appraise the initiatives and actions employed among childcare centres in improving the safety levels of their establishments and management. Setting: This study focuses on safety performance, and it’s practices, including the management, and babysitting among Malaysian childcare providers. Methods: A convenience sample of 11 participants, comprising childcare owners, management, supervisors and senior babysitters, from a wide variety of Malaysian childcare centres participated in a semi-structured interview. Results: Nine themes encompassing the actions and initiatives required by childcare practitioners in sustaining and empowering the safety of childcare centres were synthesised from the thematic analysis, which was grouped into two main categories: (1) Management practices; monitoring systems, training, rules and procedures and maintenance and (2) Babysitting practices; personality, mental health, religion and belief, responsibility and cooperation and knowledge and skills. Conclusion: These findings provide valuable insights to childcare practitioners, including the childcare owners, management and staff, in enhancing the safety levels of childcare premises and the benefits for the children they serve. Contribution: This study contributes to the childcare safety framework to be employed as a reference in monitoring and regulating the safety performance of childcare centres in Malaysia.