Private kindergartens and dormitories without a permit, a severe shortage of inspectors, and hundreds of caregivers whose employment was banned: two weeks before the start of the school year, and only half of the day care centers and private kindergartens for births up to three years were approved to operate the framework.
This is according to data from the day care division, in the work arm of the Ministry of Economy and Industry.
It is estimated that there are currently about 10,000 private kindergartens and nurseries in the country, of which only about 5,200 institutions have received an operating permit under the Day Care Supervision Law.
The law states that in order to obtain an operating permit, homeowners of seven or more children are required to meet three conditions: lack of criminal record for anyone who comes in contact with toddlers, proper and proper structure and staff training in first aid for toddlers.
But many of the operators of the frameworks are beeping over the law.
In the past year, the day care division, under the working arm of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, launched an inspection operation in which about 3,000 private day care centers were inspected.
Nine of them were given immediate closure orders due to the employment of staff with a criminal record.
Under the Supervision Act, a database was established with the names and details of those who are prohibited from working as caregivers, as well as of citizens who are prohibited from running day care centers.
In the last two years, since the registration of the kindergartens began, 502 employees have been found with a criminal record, whose employment has been banned by the head of the day care department.
These included men and women with criminal records for violence in general and violence against minors in particular.
In the past year, regulations of the Supervision Law were also approved, which stipulate, among other things, the minimum child-caregiver ratio that should enter into force this year: the infant-caregiver ratio will be 5: 1, the infant-caregiver ratio will be 8: 1, and the ratio Graduate Therapist 10: 1.
In addition, next year there will be a change in the maximum number of children in each age group, so that in the infant group there will be up to 20 children (currently 22), in the toddler group up to 24 children (currently 32), and in the adult group up to 30 children (currently 35).
In 2023, initial training will also be required to be employed as an educator-caregiver at the daycare center.
One of the critical issues concerns the number of supervisors who are supposed to enforce the Supervision Act.
Since the law was approved, no inspectors have been added, and today there are 23 inspectors responsible for 12,000 frameworks - both the supervised daycare centers (WIZO, Naamat and others) and the private frameworks. In the field, and itself was responsible for the Supervision Act.
According to Amir Medina, head of the daycare division in the Labor branch of the Ministry of Economy and Industry: "From now on we demand much more from staff with no criminal record. We will focus effort on important issues such as providing adequate manpower, safe spaces, proper nutrition and more. "For the daycare center, but it is still not enough. The state is making order in an area that has been broken for decades, and a power multiplier is needed to carry out the task. Parental cooperation is also required.