From 1 July 2024 onwards, all preschools in Singapore will be required to install CCTVs in areas where the children will be using, such as play areas, classrooms, napping rooms and activity rooms, according to the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).
However, CCTVs will not be allowed in changing rooms, toilets and rest areas for staff members for privacy pourpoes.
Parents will be allowed access to the CCTV footages for serious incidents within the school, and the ECDA added that the parents can only view the footage after the school has viewed the footage as part of their own investigations.
The ECDA also added that the implementation of the new measures were not influenced by the recent incidents of teachers ill-treating students, and that it had been planned since last year.
ECDA’s statement
ECDA: Mandatory Installation of CCTV Cameras in Preschools and Government-Funded Early Intervention Centres
1. Since last year, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has been engaging the preschool sector and in February this year informed operators of plans to mandate the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all preschools and government-funded early intervention (EI) centres. This move is part of our regular review of security and safety measures in the early childhood sector, and takes into consideration the views of parents, educators and preschool operators. The CCTV mandate will take effect from 1 July 2024.
2. More than 60% of preschools and 100% of EI centres have already installed CCTV cameras on their premises. CCTV cameras will enhance the security of the preschool by deterring suspicious or unauthorised persons from entering the premises. In the event of incidents, CCTV footages can be an objective and reliable source of evidence to support the investigation. The implementation of CCTV cameras will complement existing measures to provide a safe and secure environment in our preschools so parents and educators will have a greater peace of mind.
3. From 1 July 2024, CCTV cameras will be required in key access points and areas used by children such as classrooms, activity rooms, play areas within the premises and infant napping room. To ensure privacy of staff and children, CCTV cameras will not be allowed in toilets, changing rooms and staff rest areas. ECDA will share a set of guidelines with preschool operators on 1 September 2023.
4. From ECDA’s engagements with the sector, preschools that have yet to install CCTV cameras shared they need time to make the necessary arrangements, including putting in place clear policies and proper protocol to access CCTV footages. ECDA will work closely with operators to ensure their CCTV system and cameras are installed properly and used appropriately to protect the privacy of children, staff and other individuals within preschool premises.
5. Parents’ access to CCTV footages will only be granted for the purposes of providing an objective reference point to clarify feedback or to assist the investigation of serious incidents within the preschool premises. The request should be within reasonable grounds.
6. Keeping our preschools safe is a joint responsibility. As part of ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of children, ECDA works with educational institutes and training providers to incorporate child safe practices in the training curriculum for early childhood educators. In their pre-service and in-service training, educators learn about appropriate child management strategies as well as practices prohibited under our regulations. ECDA also promotes sharing of good child management practices among educators during our regular engagements with the sector and visits to preschools. If there are suspected cases of child mismanagement, staff or parents should report the matter to ECDA at [email protected].
7. ECDA will continue to work closely with preschool operators and educators to ensure the safety and well-being of the children under their charge. It is equally important that parents and educators build a strong partnership to support our children’s development. Many of our educators join the sector with a passion to nurture our young children and make a positive impact in their lives. We encourage parents to continue supporting them as they work tirelessly in caring and educating our children.
ISSUED BYÂ
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Annex – Likely Asked Questions
Is the mandatory implementation of CCTV cameras in preschools due to the recent incidents on child safety?
No. ECDA has planned this move for the preschool sector since last year as part of our regular review of security and safety measures in the early childhood sector. This decision is taken after taking in views from parents, educators and operators.
Can parents ask to view CCTV footage?
Parents may put in a request to the preschool to view CCTV footage specific to their concern/issue. We encourage parents to discuss the request with the preschool and assess if it is necessary to view the CCTV footage for the issue to be resolved.
Recorded footage should be viewed only after the preschool has viewed it as part of its own investigation, and provided that the incident is not under investigation by ECDA and/or any enforcement agency. It should only be viewed for the purposes of:
• Providing an objective reference point to clarify an incident which might have compromised the child’s safety, e.g. in cases where a member of staff is alleged to have mis-handled a child.
• Assisting in the investigation of incidents such as injury (to children or staff), damage or loss of preschool property.
Preschools can turn down a parent’s request if it is unreasonable. In instances where access is given, safeguards must be in place to ensure the privacy and safety of other staff and children within the CCTV footage.
Aside from the mandatory implementation of CCTVs, what are the other measures and safeguards in place to provide a safe and secure environment for children?
To ensure the safety and well-being of children in preschools, ECDA ensures that all educators are trained on child-safe practices before deployment. These include appropriate child management strategies, as well as practices prohibited under the Early Childhood Development Centres’ Regulations. The prohibited practices include corporal punishment, giving the child harsh, humiliating, belittling or degrading response of any kind, neglecting the child, and force-feeding the child. The full list of prohibited practices can be found in Regulation 33, ECDCR.
Preschools are also required to put in place practices and processes to ensure their educators use developmentally appropriate methods to interact with children.
Centre leaders are also expected to carry out regular observations of staff-child interaction and communicate clear guidelines on appropriate child management to staff. They should also provide timely feedback to staff on concerns regarding their management of children and intervene where necessary. All preschool operators and staff are also required to report to ECDA if there is reasonable cause to suspect child mistreatement, or to suspect wilful or unreasonable failure to report such occurrences to ECDA.
To check preschools’ compliance with regulatory requirements, ECDA conducts regular unannounced visits. When ECDA receives feedback on suspected child mismanagement, investigations will be initiated promptly. Immediate actions will be taken if the allegations are substantiated.