Daycare Requirements In South Africa

Providing day care for children is a big and serious responsibility, because one of the biggest challenges facing South African families today is caring for their children while the parents work. You can start a daycare in south africa  in your home with just a few weeks of planning and a modest amount of start-up cash.

A commercially located centre takes a greater investment of time, energy and money. The size and type of business you choose will depend on your start-up resources and goals for the future

Below you will find a summary of Requirements for opening a creche. To make sure all criteria are met and licenses are obtained, you may consider contracting a lawyer and insurer to make an assessment and give you advice. To run your business effectively, you must have:

  • A safe playground
  • Insurance
  • Compliance: Once you are set up, the local authority will come assess the premises and the playground. The Medical Officer of Health will issue you with an Environmental Health Permit for the playground.
  • To serve food, you will need a Certificate of Compliance for Food Preparation.

Inspections by your local official of the Department of Social Development can be made without notice to assess whether you are complying with the relevant regulations.

It’s important that you make sure you know exactly what is required in terms of all the legalities of setting up a business in childcare. Contact your local authority and the Department of Health for information.

An early childhood development centre or a crèche is a place for the care of more than six pre-school children for part of the day or night. There must be an agreement between the crèche-owner and the parents or care=giver,
If you take care of more than six children (up to six years old) on behalf of their parents or caregivers during specific hours of the day or night, or for a temporary period, you can apply for the registration at your nearest department of social development or municipal office.

To establish or operate an ECD facility  the facility must be:

  • registered with the provincial government where the facility is situated
  • managed and maintained according to the Guidelines for Early Childhood Development Centres  
  • in compliance with the following national norms and standards:
    • a safe environment for children
    • proper care for sick children or children that become ill
    • adequate space and ventilation
    • safe drinking water
    • hygienic and equipped with toilet facilities
    • safe storage of anything that may be harmful to children
    • access to refuse disposal services or other adequate means of disposal of refuse generated at the facility
    • a hygienic area for the preparation of food for children
    • measures for the separation of children of different age groups
    • the drawing up of action plans for emergencies, and
    • the drawing up of policies and procedures regarding health care at the facility.

Partial care facilities which care for children with disabilities or chronic illnesses must:

  • be accessible to such children
  • provide facilities that meet the needs of such children
  • provide training to persons employed at the facility.

A partial care facility may qualify for funding from the department if it complies with the norms and standards, and if it is in a community where families lack the means to provide proper shelter, food and other basic necessities of life to their children.

What supplies do you need for a daycare?

Daycare Supplies List

  • 3 bottles of hand soap.
  • 3 boxes of tissues.
  • 2 containers of Lysol/Clorox wipes.
  • 2 sponges.
  • Diapers/pull-ups.
  • Wipes.
  • Pacifier.
  • Formula or breast milk.

What certifications do you need to run a daycare?

Usually only a high school diploma or GED is required. However, added child-care experience is a bonus daycare facilities look for. Some may require child-care teachers to have an associate degree in early childhood education or a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) license.