From 4-7 March 2024, Kinderland presented a series of sharings on enhancing child safety management at a closed-door meeting with close to 2,000 preschool operators and centre leaders. Organised by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), the meeting was held to shed light on positive practices for the early childhood development sector to reflect on.

Kinderland was represented by Ms Surinder Kaur, Senior Centre Leader, Kinderland Preschool @ Woodlands Mart, and Ms Patricia Tay, Cluster Head, Kinderland Preschool @ Sunshine Place.

Ms Patricia Tay (left) and Ms Surinder Kaur (right) presenting the sharing on enhancing child safety management with colleagues in the early childhood development sector

Tips to Enhance Child Management in Preschools

The sharing elaborated on tips preschools can utilise in enhancing child management in their centres. This includes having an Internal Disciplinary Inquiry process in place when need arises and looking at the human factors which can attribute to positive child management in preschools.

The sharing then expanded to include what Kinderland had done to illustrate the key areas in strengtheningchild management. We enhanced the Teacher Training Monitoring System (TTMS), the Child Management Monitoring System (CMMS), and our Whistle Blowing System (WBS). These enhancements better enable us to monitor our educators’ capabilities, supervise and guide them, and promote a transparent whistle-blowing culture.

Firstly, the need for timely orientation of new educators, and ensuring their attendance for these trainings. A system-monitoring for orientation of new educators was crucial to ensure every new educator on board gains knowledge to important topics and skills needed for their role. This essentially ensures every educator knows the recommended processes in attempt to reduce the risk of incidents at preschools.

Secondly, the need for better supervision and guidance for educators. Regular supervision and guidance for educators prevents non-conformities in their day-to-day actions from happening and opportunities for correction. This helps educators be re-educated and be reminded on the inappropriate behaviours to refrain from, and prevents poor behaviours from becoming a normalcy.

Our educators form the backbone of preschool operations. Ensuring their timely training, guidance and understanding of SOPs plays a key role in child safety management

Thirdly, inculcating the need for personnel from all levels of the preschool to sound off when they spot concerning issues. All preschool personnel must understand their role in highlighting issues of concern and feel confident and safe to do so. Without this, preschools potentially run the case of concerning issues going under the radar as personnel do not raise them.

Ms Patricia Tay (right) sharing on tips preschools can make use of in enhancing child management in their centres

The sharing also elaborated on Kinderland’s initiatives such as the Human Resource Wellness Package, (HRWP). HRWP helps us to regularly check in on our educators and address challenges to their overall wellbeing. The HRWP also includes a professional counsellor for educators, should they require further support.

Forging Ahead in Tandem with ECDA and Sector Colleagues

We would like to thank ECDA for providing us with the opportunity to present this sharing session.  We would also like to thank our colleagues in the early childhood development sector for their positive feedback to the session. They shared that they learnt a lot from the session and gain essential tips to relook at their preschool’s current system for further enhancement. Many have also thanked us for a well-done sharing.

We hope our insights can go a long way in empowering the early childhood development sector in fortifying its child management capabilities. Together, we can make a safer, more caring and nurturing environment for the development of our little ones in Singapore. Lastly, in everything we do, we always have our children in mind.