Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 20 September 2024
The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, has introduced the National Minimum Standards and Protocol for Creches (Operation & Management), a significant step aimed at increasing the participation and leadership of women in the workforce. This initiative is vital for enabling more women to enter and remain in the labor force, addressing a critical gap in support services for working mothers.
The institutionalisation of care services, such as creches, plays a crucial role in boosting female workforce participation by providing reliable childcare solutions. To this end, the Ministry has formulated suggestive standards and protocols for establishing and managing creches by various entities, including individuals, service agencies, corporations, companies, universities, hospitals, care service providers, government organisations, and non-governmental organisations.
The newly released standards focus on ensuring that creches meet the minimum essential requirements for comprehensive childcare in a safe and secure environment. These guidelines aim to foster the overall development of children under creche care while allowing parents—particularly women—to participate fully in the workforce, knowing their children are well looked after.
Additionally, there is room for incorporating extra facilities to further promote the well-being of children. The Ministry has also advised state governments and Union Territory administrations to adopt these standards and protocols when setting up and managing creches.
For those operating or planning to establish creches, the Ministry has made the National Minimum Standards and Protocol for Creches available on its official website, wcd.nic.in, for easy access and necessary implementation. By adopting these guidelines, creche operators can ensure they are providing quality childcare while supporting the broader goal of empowering women through greater labor force participation.
This initiative marks a progressive move towards creating a supportive ecosystem for working women, helping them balance professional responsibilities and childcare with ease and security.