Directions Regarding the Phased Return of Children to Early Childhood Development Programmes and Partial Care Facilities
Government Notice 762 of 2020
Repealed
This Government Notice was repealed on 2020-09-11 by Department of Social Development: Directions to Prevent and Combat the Spread of COVID-19.
Directions Regarding the Phased Return of Children to Early Childhood Development Programmes and Partial Care Facilities
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South Africa
Disaster Management Act, 2002
Directions Regarding the Phased Return of Children to Early Childhood Development Programmes and Partial Care Facilities
Government Notice 762 of 2020
- Published in Government Gazette 43520 on 10 July 2020
- Assented to on 10 July 2020
- Commenced on 10 July 2020
- [This is the version of this document from 10 July 2020.]
- [Repealed by Department of Social Development: Directions to Prevent and Combat the Spread of COVID-19 (Government Notice 993 of 2020) on 11 September 2020]
1. Definitions
In these directions, a word or expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) or in the Regulations has the meaning so assigned, and, unless the context indicates otherwise—"certificate" means a certificate issued in terms of direction 12;"child" means a child from birth up to the age of six (6) years (the calendar year a child turns six), and "children" has the same meaning;"Children’s Act" means the Children’s Act, 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005);"compliance officer" means the person designated in terms of regulation 47(1)(a) of the Regulations by an early childhood development programme or a partial care facility;"Department of Health Guidelines" means the guidelines for symptom monitoring and management of essential workers for COVID-19 related infection, issued by the National Department of Health in April 2020, accessible through the following link: https://www.saiosh.co.za/news/502409/Guidelines-for-symptom-monitoring-and-manaqement-of-essential-workers-for-COVID-19-related-infection.htm;"department" means the national Department of Social Development;"Department of Health" means the national and provincial Departments of Health;"designated organisation" means any government agency, non-governmental organisation or entity that has been appointed in writing by the Minister, Director- General, Member of the Executive Council responsible for social development or provincial head of department, or official designated, in terms of direction 4(8);"designated person" means a person that is designated or requested by a parent or legal guardian to provide information or act on his or her behalf;"directions" means any directions issued by a member of Cabinet in terms of regulation 4 of the Regulations that apply directly or indirectly to the operations of an early childhood development programme under COVID-19;"early childhood development programme (ECD Programme)" means, with due consideration to the National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy (2015), the provision of early learning and development opportunities, daily care and support to children from birth to six years, that falls within the provisions of the Children’s Act, and includes -(a)an ECD centre (section 93(5)(a);(b)a child minder;(c)a playgroup;(d)a toy-library;(e)a mobile early childhood development programme; and(f)a parental support programme;"head of department" has the meaning assigned to it in the Public Service Act, 1994 (Proclamation No. 103 of 1994);"Minister" means the Minister responsible for social development;"offices" includes the national offices, provincial offices, district offices or any other office within the jurisdiction of the head of a provincial department and the national department of Social Development;"official" means a person employed by the national or provincial department of social development under the provisions of the Public Service Act, 1994;"partial care facility" means a partial care facility that provides an "after school service" as defined in regulation 12(2) of the General Regulations regarding Children made in terms of section 306 of the Children’s Act (Government Notice No. R. 261 of 1 April 2010 published in Government Gazette No. 33076);"permit" means a permit issued in terms of direction 12;"premises" means the physical location where an early childhood development programme is conducted either on a permanent basis, in the case of a partial care facility, toy library or child minder, or on a temporary basis, in case of a playgroup, mobile early childhood development programme or parent support group, and includes all administrative spaces associated with the programme or being part of the physical location of the programme and outside play, recreation and waiting areas;"the Regulations" means the Regulations made in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002), and published in Government Gazette No. 43258 under Government Notice No. R480 of 29 April 2020 as amended by Government Notice No. 608 of 28 May 2020 and Government Notice No. 714 of 25 June 2020;"staff" unless otherwise indicated, includes an early childhood development educator, early childhood development practitioner, administrative and other support staff, either full time or part time involved in the operations of the early childhood development programme; and"standard operating procedures" means the standard operating procedures and guidelines for early childhood development programmes on COVID-19 as published on the Department of Social Development’s website or any amendment thereof.2. Objects
The objects of these directions are—3. Scope and application
4. Reopening of early childhood development programmes or partial care facilities
5. Conditions for return of children to early childhood development programme or partial care facility
6. Programme specific conditions for reopening of early childhood development programme or partial care facility
Type of ECD service | Inside early learning space | Outside space | Formula for number of children that may re-admitted |
---|---|---|---|
ECD centre | 1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | 1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | Total m² unobstructed early learning space divided by 1.5 m² = maximum number of children in that space. |
Playground | 1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | 1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | Total m² unobstructed early learning space / 1.5 m² divided by maximum number of children in that space. |
Child minder/ day mother | 1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | 1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | Total m² unobstructed early learning space / 1.5 m² divided by maximum number of children in that space. |
Toy-library | Play areas where a toy-library is providing the small play groups | ||
1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | 1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | Total m² unobstructed early learning space / 1.5 m² divided by maximum number of children in that space. | |
Passages in between shelves | |||
Marked distanced of 1.5 meter and moving in the same direction | Not applicable | Not applicable | |
Mobile ECD programme | 1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | Total m² unobstructed early learning space / 1.5m² divided by maximum number of children in that space | |
Parental support programme | 1 m² per parent attending with social distance of 1 meter between seats | Total m² space divided by maximum number of parents attending in that space | |
Partial care providing afterschool services | 1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | 1.5 m² (unobstructed space) per child | Total m² unobstructed early learning space / 1.5 m² divided by maximum number of children in that space |
Type of ECD service | Age group | Date of return | Staff to child ratio |
---|---|---|---|
ECD centre | 3, 4, 5 and 6-year olds | Immediately subject to the appropriate and/or prescribed safety measures being in place. | Subject to strict adherence to the child to staff ratios as contemplated in the norms and standards determined in terms of section 94 of the Children's Act. |
Birth to 35 months | Immediately subject to the appropriate and/or prescribed safety measures being in place. | ||
Playgroups | 3, 4, 5 and 6-year olds | Immediately subject to the appropriate and/or prescribed safety measures being in place. | Subject to strict adherence to the child to staff ratios as contemplated in the norms and standards determined in terms of section 94 of the Children's Act. |
Birth to 35 months | Immediately subject to the appropriate and/or prescribed safety measures being in place. | ||
Child minder/ day mother | All age groups | Immediately subject to the appropriate and/or prescribed safety measures being in place. | Subject to requirements that a maximum of 6 children may return. |
Toy-library | 3 years and older | Immediately subject to the appropriate and/or prescribed safety measures being in place. | One play-facilitator per 15 children and no more one group at a time (in the case where a toy library provides group play activities |
Mobile ECD programme | All age groups | Immediately subject to the appropriate and/or prescribed safety measures being in place. | One ECD educator/ practitioner for every group of 10 children, with a maximum of 2 groups at a time ORTwo staff members (one ECD educator/practitioner and one assistant) for every 15 children, with a maximum of 2 groups at a time. |
Parental support programme | Not applicable | Immediately subject to the appropriate and/or prescribed safety measures being in place. | Maximum of 12 parents per group facilitator |
Partial care providing afterschool services | All age groups | Immediately subject to the appropriate and/or prescribed safety measures being in place. | Subject to strict adherence to the norms and standards determined in terms of section 79 of the Children's Act. |
7. Prohibited activities
8. Screening
9. Sanitisers, hand washing, disinfectants and masks
10. Social distancing in an early childhood development programme or partial care facility
11. Adjustment to and implementation of early learning curriculum and learning programme
12. Issuing of permits and certificates for movement of staff and children
13. General safety measures at early childhood development programme or partial care facility for duration of national state of disaster
14. Subsidisation of early childhood development centres
The department must continue to subsidise early childhood development centres or partial care facilities during the national state of disaster.15. Commencement
These Directions come into effect on the date of publication in the Government Gazette.History of this document
11 September 2020
10 July 2020 this version
Assented to
Published in Government Gazette 43520
Commenced
Cited documents 5
Act 5
1. | Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 | 12690 citations |
2. | Disaster Management Act, 2002 | 1255 citations |
3. | South African Schools Act, 1996 | 846 citations |
4. | Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, 1993 | 792 citations |
5. | Children's Act, 2005 | 603 citations |