Facilities introduce technology to improve security

In the past two years, a number of child care centers have installed high-tech equipment, including intelligent surveillance systems and facial-recognition technology, to ensure children's safety.

On July 8, a document drafted by the National Health Commission outlining management regulations for child care centers was opened for public comment and consultation.

The guideline said child care centers must establish monitoring systems for primary baby care areas, while 24-hour surveillance and alarm systems will be required to cover all centers of activity.

Moreover, monitoring records should be kept for at least 90 days, and there must be no unauthorized gaps, deletions or alterations.

It is not the first time authorities have stipulated the use of high-tech equipment to ensure the safety of children in care centers.

On April 12 last year, a statement issued by the State Council, China's Cabinet, said the internet and digitized systems should be used to strengthen supervision.

On May 9, the General Office of the State Council issued a guideline related to improvements in services for children age 3 and younger.

The guideline said the internet, big data, the internet of things and artificial intelligence should be fully utilized to optimize services and management in child care institutions.

In response, some local governments, such as those in Shanghai and Nanjing, Jiangsu province, and administrative departments have put forward concrete measures to improve child care services and the sector in general, including the greater use of high-tech equipment and intelligent systems to ensure safety.

Guidelines and licenses

In Shanghai, one of China's most developed cities, high-tech security systems have been compulsory in licensed child care centers for more than a year.

On April 28 last year, the city government issued a guideline of general standards for child care centers.

The document stipulated that security systems should meet the requirements of "intelligent" public security, and emergency alarms linked to local police stations should be installed. Meanwhile, the premises should be monitored 24 hours a day.

According to the document, only child care centers that meet these criteria will be issued with official operating licenses.

The Leleshu Child Care Center, certified by the Shanghai government in April, has installed a video system to monitor every centimeter of the premises in the event of unauthorized individuals, improper behavior or accidents that may endanger safety.

Intelligent surveillance

Meanwhile, a facial-recognition system is in use at the entrance to ensure the children are protected from unauthorized individuals.

According to the websites and official introductions of 10 child care centers in Shanghai, intelligent surveillance systems are a standard requirement at every institution, and some centers use additional high-tech equipment to further ensure the children's safety.

However, despite these developments, some parents are still concerned.

"There are so many kids, but such a small number of teachers in the center that I'm not sure they have the time and energy to take good care of every kid. But it is the teachers who matter in security issues," said Wei Jiaping, who has two children.

Even though a local child care center has been fitted with security equipment, Wei refuses to send her second child, a 3-year-old girl, there.

Instead, she relies on family members to look after her children, despite the fact they are busy.

Yang Juhua, a professor in the Department of Demographics at Renmin University of China in Beijing, said a shortage of qualified staff members and service providers is a major hurdle stopping child care centers from gaining the trust and confidence of parents and society as a whole.

(China Daily Global 07/24/2019 page5)