AMMAN — Since
instructions for licensing nurseries attached to people’s homes went into force
on July 16, 2021, only four registered, said the spokesperson of the
Ministry of Social Development, Ashraf Al-Khrais.
اضافة اعلان
Eight more
applications are being processed, but the registration is not complete yet,
Khrais said. He said that registration could be done in person, or
electronically through the ministry’s website.
Home nurseries, as
they are widely called, are day-care centers headed mostly by women. Some
launch the business in a room, or two in their homes, rather than seek
independent quarters.
It was not
immediately clear how many “home nurseries” there are in Jordan, but they are
believed to be in the dozens.
“Licensing home
nurseries is free of charge, and there is no financial cost involved to
facilitate the licensing process, and ensure an increase in registration,”
Khrais told
Jordan News.
“The instructions
and registration terms for home nurseries stipulate that the home nursery be
located in a residential area, and afar from health hazards, warehouses of
flammable materials and high-pressure lines,” he noted.
“It should not be
located in a low area susceptible to floods or building collapse, and that it
be on a ground floor or a floor that has an emergency exit,“ he added,
outlining the terms of licensing nurseries.
“The nursery should
also provide necessary environmental conditions like a sun room, and the right
conditions for children with disabilities,” he added.
He said the
caregiver must meet specific conditions, “have the physical and psychological
ability to deal with children, hold a disease-free certificate, and have a
Tawjihi certificate as a minimum and an approved training certificate.”
“The number of
children allowed to be present in a home nursery is five, as a maximum, if
their age groups are less than two years, and a maximum of seven children, if
their age group is two to four years,” he said.
Lina Salaa, owner
of Safety Umbrella nursery in Marj Al-Hamam, recalled her own experience
starting a day-care center for children, away from her home, in 2019.
“The registration
process took almost a year, a time needed to get all the approvals from
different concerned departments such as the Ministry of Health, Ministry of
Social Development,
Greater Amman Municipality, and others,” Salaa told
Jordan
News.
“Although the
registration process took a lot of time and was frustrating at times, I totally
agree with the need to get all the approvals and to pay attention to the small
detail,” she added.
She pointed out
that she is against the so-called “home nurseries” whether they are registered
or not. “They are part of a house, and any kind of supervision is impossible,”
she explained.
“There is no way of controlling them, even with regular
visits by the ministry’s cadres,” she said. “Monitoring cameras are only put in
the room where the kids are, and not in the rest of rooms, unlike official
nurseries, where cameras cover every room.”
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