Early Childhood Development Centre

GUIDE TO

SETTING UP AN

Early Childhood

Development Centre

(ECDC)

Updated on 11 June 2020

GUIDE TO SETTING UP AN

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 2

1.1 Preface .........................................................................................................................2

1.2 Role of the Early Childhood Development Agency .....................................................2

1.3 Definition of an Early Childhood Development Centre ................................................2

1.4 Legislation Governing Early Childhood Development Centres ................................... 3

2 SERVICE TYPES .................................................................................................................4

2.1 Class of Licence ...........................................................................................................4

3 APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................6

3.1 Grant of Licence ..........................................................................................................6

3.2 Entity Registration .......................................................................................................7

3.3 Setting Up an ECDC ....................................................................................................7

3.4 Choosing Suitable Premises ........................................................................................8

3.4.1 Statutory Approvals ..........................................................................................8

3.4.2 Space, Facilities and Resources ....................................................................10

3.5 Staff Provision and Quality ........................................................................................15

3.6 Administration, Record Keeping and Standard Operating Procedures .....................21

3.7 Preschool Learning Experience ................................................................................ 26

4 SUBMISSION OF THE NEW LICENCE APPLICATION ..................................................29

4.1 A Checklist to Guide the Process of Setting Up ........................................................ 29

4.2 Workflow for the New Licence Application ................................................................30

ANNEX ..................................................................................................................................31

Annex A: Document Checklist ..........................................................................................31

Annex B: Site Visit Checklist ............................................................................................. 37

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Preface

The guide to setting up an Early Childhood Development Centre (ECDC) spells out requirements for

potential operators in areas relating to the management, operation and administration of an ECDC.

All ECDCs are required to obtain a licence under the Early Childhood Development Centres Act and

Regulations before commencing operations. Applications for an ECDC licence must be submitted

online through the GoBusiness Licensing Portal at https://www.gobusiness.gov.sg/licences

1.2 Role of the Early Childhood Development Agency

The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) serves as the regulatory and developmental

authority for all ECDCs in Singapore which provide care and / or education to children below 7 years

old.

ECDA was established on 1 April 2013 to oversee key aspects of children’s development below 7

years old, across both kindergartens and child care centres. They are now known as Early Childhood

Development Centres (“ECDCs”) under the Early Childhood Development Act and Regulations.

This is an integral part of the national effort to raise the quality of early childhood programmes in

Singapore.

1.3 Definition of an ECDC

Section 2 of the Early Childhood Development Centres Act defines an ECDC as “any premises

where any early childhood development service is provided or is to be provided.”.

An ECDC service refers to “the provision of care or education, or care and education, habitually of

5 or more children who are below 7 years of age, for a fee, reward or profit by a person who is not a

relative or guardian of all the children.”

How long does it take for a licence to be processed?

Our service standard to process a new licence application is 14 working days upon

receiving a complete set of documents which meets our requirements, and the licensee

having met all regulatory requirements during the site visit, whichever is the latest.

1.4 Legislation Governing ECDCs

ECDCs are governed by the Early Childhood Development Centres Act and Regulations. You can

refer to the online version of the ECDC Act and Regulations found in https://sso.agc.gov.sg

You are advised to familiarise yourself with the legislative requirements for the application and

operation of an ECDC. You must not commence operations nor accept monetary payments until the

ECDC’s licence is approved. You must also not advertise or provide ECDC services, unless you hold

a valid licence under the ECDC Act and Regulations.

No operation of early childhood development centre without licence, etc.

(1) A person must not operate (whether solely or jointly with any other person) an early

childhood development centre unless the person –

(a) is authorised to do so by a licence under this Act;

(b) is exempt from this subsection by or under this Act in relation to the centre; or

or revocation of the licence for that centre.

(2) A person must not advertise or otherwise hold out that the person is operating an early

childhood development centre under a licence, unless the person holds a valid licence

under this Act.

(3) A person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall

be liable on conviction –

(a) To a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12

months or to both; and

(b) In the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $1,000 for every

day or part of a day during which the offence continue after conviction.

[Section 6 of the Act]

INTRODUCTION

2 SERVICE TYPES

2.1 Class of Licence

There are three classes of licences. Applicants must indicate the class(es) of licence they are

applying for according to the types of services they wish to provide. Refer below for a description of

the respective class(es) of licence.

Description

of Types of

Licences

Class A Class B Class C

Periods of

Operation

• Monday to Friday

(7am to 7pm)

• Saturday

(7am to 2pm)

Operates 5½ days

a week throughout

the year, except on

Sundays and public

holidays.

• Monday to Friday

(7am to 7pm)

• Saturday

(7am to 2pm)

Operates 5½ days

a week throughout

the year, except on

Sundays and public

holidays.

Monday to Friday.

Operates during school

terms, according to

Ministry of Education’s

academic calendar,

with the exception

of Centres which

follow an international

curriculum and

academic year.

Operational

Hours

12 hours or more 12 hours or more 6 hours or less

Age Range of

children

2 to 18 months old

18 months to below

7 years old

18 months to below

7 years old

Programme

Types(s)

• Full day and/or

• Half day

• May provide

flexible options

(at least 12 to 24

hours a week,

and 3 hours per

session)

• Full day

• May provide

half day and/or

flexible options

(at least 12 to 24

hours a week,

and 3 hours per

session)

Half day

(Single, dual, triple

sessions)

Space for

Gross Motor

Development

Activities

(“GMA”)

Not Applicable

of Centre’s

capacity at 4m²

per child or 40m²,

whichever is more.

of Centre’s capacity

at 4m² per child or

40m², whichever is

more.

Description

of Types of

Licences

Class A Class B Class C

Programme

Hours

Operational hours Typically 9am to 5pm.

a) Centres can

determine their

programme

hours (subject to

ECDA’s approval).

b) Centres need

to display the

daily programme

schedule.

Programme hours

are typically the

operational hours,

unless otherwise

stated (subject to

the Chief Licensing

Officer’s approval).

Non-programme

Hours

Not Applicable Arrival, departure and

rest

Not Applicable

Do you know?

You can only operate one of the following class(es) of licence(s):

• Class A only

• Class B only

• Class C only

• Class A and B

• Class A and C

In addition, children must not be in an ECDC for more than 24 hours continuously.

SERVICE TYPES

3 APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Requirements for Grant of Licence

In deciding whether or not a licence should be granted, the following requirements for the key

appointment holders (i.e. applicants) must be met.

Grant or renewal of licence

In deciding whether a licence should be granted or renewed, the Chief Licensing Officer must

have regard to, and give such weight as the Chief Licensing Officer considers appropriate to, all

of the following matters:

(a) Whether the applicant has the appropriate character and fitness to operate and maintain an

early childhood development centre;

(b) Whether every key appointment holder of the applicant has the appropriate character and

fitness to act in that capacity;

(i) Convicted of an offence under this Act;

(ii) Convicted, whether in Singapore or elsewhere, of an offence involving dishonesty or the

conviction for which involved a finding that the applicant or key appointment holder (as

the case may be) had acted dishonestly; or

(iii) Convicted of a prescribed offence, whether the offence was committed before, on or after

the date the offence is prescribed;

(d) Whether the applicant has, during the prescribed period immediately before the application,

failed to pay any charge or fee charged or imposed under this Act, the repealed Act or the

Education Act (Cap. 87) in connection with the operation of an early childhood development

centre;

(e) Whether the applicant has previously –

(i) Been refused the grant or renewal of a licence under this Act or the repealed Act;

(ii) Had any licence revoked or shortened under this Act or the repealed Act;

(iii) Been the subject of any other regulatory sanction under this Act;

(iv) Been refused registration of a school under the Education Act; or

(v) Had any registration of a school cancelled under the Education Act;

(f) Whether any key appointment holder or the applicant is disqualified under section 19 to act

or continue to act as a key appointment holder;

(g) Whether the applicant has, or is likely to have, the financial capacity to operate and maintain

an early childhood development centre;

(h) Whether the applicant is the owner or lessee of the premises to be used as an early

childhood development centre, or has a licence from another person to occupy these premises;

(i) Whether the premises to be used as an early childhood development centre are fit to

be used as such a centre, having regard to –

(i) Location, accommodation, staffing or equipment; and

(ii) Building structure, fire safety, public health and sanitation requirements prescribed under

this Act or any other written law;

(j) Whether the applicant has the capacity to deliver early childhood development services

according to such requirements relating to the types and content of the curriculum or

programme for early childhood development centres as may be prescribed;

(k) Whether there is any other relevant matter that makes it contrary to the public interest to

grant or renew the licence

[Section 8(3) of the Act]

3.2 Entity Registration

[Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) Registration / Registry of

Societies (ROS) Registration / Charities and Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs)

Registration / Special Approval from the relevant authority]

All applicants must submit proof of the entity which owns the ECDC. Examples are the ACRA

Registration, ROS Registration, Charities and IPCs Registration or special approval from the relevant

authorities.

3.3 Setting Up an ECDC

The following diagram lists the specific areas which you need to look into, and ensure that your

ECDC complies with the requirements. You will find more information for each area in the sections

that follow.

• Which agencies do I need to

approach first?

• What are the necessary

statutory approvals that I

need to obtain?

• What are the requirements

for the space / facilities in the

premises?

• How many staff do I need to

recruit to begin operations?

• Do the staff need to be

qualified?

• How many children can one

staff teach? Is there a ratio?

• What are the requirements

for centre’s programme and

learning environment?

• Do I need to document

children’s learning and

development?

• What are the records that I

must maintain?

• What are the Standard

Operating Procedures that

the centre needs to maintain?

Choosing

Suitable Premises

(Section 3.4)

Staff Provision

and Quality

(Section 3.5)

Preschool

Learning

Experience

(Section 3.7)

Staff Provision

and Standard

Operation Procedures

(Section 3.6)

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

3.4 Choosing Suitable Premises

3.4.1 Statutory Approvals

Please refer below for a summary of the statutory approvals from the relevant agencies that you

need to obtain before applying to ECDA for a licence.

CHOOSING SUITABLE PREMISES

Seek approval from the relevant authorities:

• Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) for Private Residential / Commercial sites

• Housing and Development Board (HDB) for Void Deck / Commercial sites

• Singapore Land Authority (SLA) for State Land / Properties

• National Environment Agency (NEA) for B1 Industrial Premises / Business Parks

• Private landlords

STATUTORY APPROVALS

Obtain approvals / clearances from:

• HDB/SLA/Private landlords for tenancy agreement of the premises

• HDB/SLA/URA/Private landlords for Approved Use (if required)

• Building and Construction Authority (BCA) for Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) /

Certificate of Statutory Clearance (CSC) of the premises

• Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for Temporary Fire Permit (TFP) / Fire Safety

Certificate (FSC)

• Land Transport Authority (LTA) for car park facilities (if required)

• Public Utilities Board (PUB) for sanitary works done (if required)

• Please note that your premises must have safe access to an outdoor play space.

The following documents are to be submitted as part of the application. ECDCs must obtain the

required approvals and comply with the requirements of the relevant governing agencies.

(a) Ownership or Tenancy Agreement by HDB / SLA / Private landlord

The tenancy agreement submitted must be signed between the landlord and the licensee (i.e. the

entity operating the ECDC). In the case of ROS, Charities and IPC registered entities, they will need

to show that the tenancy agreement is signed between the registered entity and the landlord. The

tenancy should be at least two to three years in length to ensure continuity and stability of the centre.

(b) Approved Use by SLA / HDB / URA / NEA or other relevant authorities

SLA / HDB / URA

Applicants must submit the “Approved Use” of the location and premises as an ECDC. For HDB

and SLA properties (lease signed directly with HDB or SLA), the tenancy agreement will suffice. For

privately owned HDB properties, a “Change of Trade” letter will have to be obtained. For private

residential and certain types of properties, the “Change of Use” or “Grant of Written Permission” will

have to be obtained from URA.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

You may find more information at the websites below:

http://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/business/commercial/managing-your-unit/change-of-trade

https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Property/Business/Change-Use-of-Property-for-Business/As-

sessment-Criteria

NEA

ECDA will assess on a case-by-case basis for proposed premises situated within industrial estates

classified as Business Park or Business 1 (B1) category by URA. An approval must be obtained from

the National Environment Agency (NEA) for these applications. This is in addition to any required

“Change of Use” obtained from URA. Please note that Business 2 premises are not allowed to be

used as ECDCs.

Applicants of proposed premises in B1 industrial estates are required to be represented as a

stakeholder in the building’s Fire Safety Committee (FSC), and work with the building management

to plan and implement emergency response/evacuation procedures to mitigate potential additional

risks via the Incident Management Plan (IMP). For proposed premises in industrial estates, additional

time for processing of licence application (up to 3 more months compared to other premises) may be

required due to the required additional clearances and procedures.

For part (c), (d), (e) and (f), you should engage the services of a Qualified Person (QP), i.e. generally

an architect or engineer, to incorporate the physical requirements of an ECDC into the floor plan and

provide advice regarding the submission to the various agencies. The QP will submit the floor plan

to the relevant government departments for approval. Applicants must submit the following to ECDA:

• QP-certified floor plan with a breakdown of floor areas.

• Letter by a QP to certify that the floor plan submitted to ECDA is the same as the one

submitted to SCDF.

• Letter by a QP to certify whether submission to BCA is required.

Applicants must ensure that the proposed premises for an ECDC is safe for occupancy. This document

may only be retrieved by the owner of the property. For newly erected buildings, a Temporary

Occupation Permit (TOP) will suffice for submission but the CSC will need to be submitted as soon

as it is obtained. Applicants must provide the TOP or CSC of the ECDC.

You may find more information at the website below:

https://www.bca.gov.sg/legalsearch/cscapp.aspx

(d) Approved Floor Plan with Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) or equivalent by SCDF

Applicants must ensure that the proposed premises have met all the requirements set by SCDF for

fire safety in an ECDC. Applicants must also ensure that the floor plans drawn meet the requirements

for an ECDC and the floor plan layout matches the actual physical premises. The floor plans and

FSC of the premises must be for an ECDC. This is to be stated clearly in the project title of the floor

plan (e.g. kindergarten, child care centre) and must be certified by a Qualified Person (QP). Floor

plans that are approved for commercial schools or education centres etc. will not be accepted. A

QP-certified floor plan with the corresponding FSC must be submitted.

You may find more information at the website below:

https://www.scdf.gov.sg/content/scdf_internet/en/building-professionals/fire-safety-permit-and-

certification/temporary-fire-permit.html

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

(e) Provision of Carpark Facilities by LTA

Applicants who intend to occupy premises located within HDB commercial properties, landed

properties, industrial estates and commercial buildings may need to submit an application to LTA

regarding the provision of parking places / spaces, if necessary. ECDCs located at HDB void decks

are excluded.

You may find more information at the website below:

https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/dam/ltaweb/corp/Industry/files/formLtaVPbp2009.pdf

(f) Clearance for Sanitary Works by PUB

Applicants must get a plumber to seek clearance from PUB when more child-sized toilets, child-sized

wash hand basins and / or showerheads are installed at the premises, than the original number of

sanitary facilites available.

3.4.2 Space, Facilities and Resources

(a) Physical Environment of the Centre

Applicants are advised to exercise care when selecting and deciding on the premises to be used as

a proposed ECDC before entering any contract to purchase or lease it. Premises must receive the

necessary statutory approvals by the relevant authorities (i.e. HDB, URA, SCDF, BCA, NEA, LTA).

ECDCs must be of an acceptable and reasonable size. In addition to teaching and learning areas,

there must also be space for an office / administration area. Different age groups and class sizes

must be taken into consideration when planning for use of space. Space must be purposefully set-

up and utilised, without overcrowding. There must be sufficient space planned for all children to

participate in activities, whether in groups or individually. The space planned must also facilitate

positive interactions and behaviours among peers and between teachers and children (e.g. children

are able to sit comfortably during storytelling sessions and dance comfortably during music and

movement activities).

Do you know?

Prior wrien approval from ECDA must be sought before seing up of the ECDC if:

• The premises is located above the ground oor or at the basement of a building.

• The premises has multiple bays and the distance between the 2 furthest bays is more

than 100m.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

In setting up the environment of the centre, ensure that there are clear pathways for staff and children/

infants to move without disrupting other activities (e.g. corridors are wide enough for children to walk

in pairs, and there are clear pathways for adults to move without affecting children/infants’ movement

throughout the day).

The accommodation capacity is computed based on the areas dedicated for teaching and learning

use, and it excludes services areas (e.g. toilets, pantry / kitchen, office, store). The accommodation

capacity is subject to the premises having a sufficient number of sanitary facilities and space for

gross motor activities. For Class A Licence, the accommodation capacity is computed based on 5m

floor space area for each infant. For Class B Licence, the accommodation capacity is computed

based on 3m

floor space area for each child. For Class C Licence, the accommodation capacity is

computed based on 1.88m

floor space area for each child.

The centre must have sufficient furnishings and resources for learning, play and routine care.

Furnishings and resources used by children are developmentally-appropriate, child-safe and in good

working condition.

Other requirements to be met are as follows:

• Each teaching and learning activity area is at least 12m

• Usable areas for teaching and learning activities are fully enclosed, weather-proof with

good ventilation. Open balcony, car porch etc. are not computed as usable areas.

• Furnishings and resources are suitable for the developmental stage, age and size of

the children using them, e.g. tables are of appropriate height such that children can rest

their elbows on the table tops while their legs fit comfortably beneath, shelves are of

appropriate height such that children can see and select the toys on display

independently. They do not present any health and/or safety risks e.g. no exposed

sharp edges, loose/unstable parts, splinters, peeling paint, rust.

• Hazardous materials are kept away from children. Potentially hazardous objects or substances

are not accessible to children. Such items include hot liquids, chemicals, cleaning agents,

unsecured heavy objects, tripping hazards (including wires, strings, and cords), pails of water,

or any object that can cause strangulation, suffocation, choking or burns.

• Sufficient bathing facilities (including water heater) are provided for children.

• Sufficient storage facilities.

• A designated area for food preparation.

• Personal space for children’s belongings, such as cubbyholes, boxes or shelves are provided

for their personal belongings.

Children’s Safety and Centres’ Accessibility

The centre premises must be secured with access limited to authorised personnel only. Visitors are

not able to access the premises freely without permission (e.g. the centre is secured by locked doors

or gates, entrances / exits are closely monitored by staff). Secured access points must not contravene

any fire safety requirements. There must be preventive and safety measures for children’s safety

and well-being.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Other requirements to be met are as follows:

• Safety gates or barriers must be installed at the head and foot of staircases which

children have access.

• Staircase handrails are installed at children’s height on both sides of the staircases so

that children can use them while climbing the stairs.

• The height of the railings at the staircase landing and corridors is at least 1.5m (if

applicable).

• A door barrier or safety gate is fitted at the entrance of the kitchen or pantry.

• If there is a need for children to have access to the kitchen or pantry, a risk assessment

must first be conducted.

• Centres situated above the ground level have secured windows or window grilles.

• Keys for both the window and / or window grilles must be kept out of children’s reach but are

made easily accessible to staff.

• No doors with double action spring hinges can be installed on the premises (i.e. swing doors)

Sick Bay

The centre must have a designated isolation area suitable for children who are unwell to rest and

be closely monitored. The area must be fully enclosed and separated from regular programme

space. It is comfortable and well ventilated or fitted with an air purifier, and conducive for the child to

rest. This area is to be available at all times. Corridors, pantry, kitchen, storeroom or toilets etc. are

considered unsuitable areas.

Space for use during Haze

There must be provision in the centre for an appropriate space to accommodate children during haze

episodes. The space is fitted with air purifier(s) and can accommodate at least 50% of the maximum

accommodation capacity of the centre (this place is used only in times of an emergency).

Lighting

The lighting provided in the centre is suitable and adequate for the different activities implemented.

The lighting must not be too harsh; children and adults should not need to strain their eyes while

engaged in activities. Centres can have a variety of lighting at different areas for different purposes,

be it natural or artificial lighting.

Ventilation

For centres with windows and doors that can be opened, rooms must be ventilated on a daily basis to

ensure good air quality. The centre must have natural air where possible. For centres with windows

that cannot be opened, air purifiers can be used to help improve and maintain better air quality. In

general, there must not be pervasive unpleasant or strong odours in the centre.

Temperature

Rooms are kept at a comfortable temperature for activities to take place. The temperature within

rooms and the amount of ventilation entering the classroom with fans or air-conditioning units can be

controlled. On a rainy day, the speed of the ventilating fan can be reduced.

Floor Surfacing

For areas accessible to children, the floor surfacing is safe and not slippery to prevent children from

slipping, falling and injuring themselves. Floor surfacing is well-maintained, without any cracks or

protrusions, which could lead to children tripping or cutting themselves. For activity areas, appropriate

floor surfacing is used (e.g. areas where children could be climbing are shock absorbent). Toilets and

water play areas are not slippery. No still water is collected in these areas.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

(b) Sanitary Facilities

Sufficient child-sized toilets and hand-washing points for children’s use must be available in the

centre. Children have easy access to sanitary facilities and the use must be exclusive to the centre.

Sanitary facilities must be provided for children’s use at each level / bay of the centre’s premises.

The minimum provision of 2 toilets and 2 hand-washing points per centre must be met.

Centres with larger area must have sufficient toilets and hand-washing points built to cater for the

accommodation capacity. The requirements for sanitary facilities are shown in the table below:

Toilet-Children Ratio

*Toilet with partition

#Hand-washing point

& eye level mirror

Children

1 1 23

*Flush toilets are not more than 400mm in height (measured from floor to the top of the

bowl of the toilet, excluding the seat of the toilet). Every cubicle has sufficient supply of

toilet paper within easy reach of children. Doors and partitions are of low height or allow for

visual supervision. The toilets must be individually partitioned, with provision of privacy for

children in at least one cubicle.

#Wash hand basins must be of child-size and suitable for use by children of all ages who

are enrolled in the centre. There is one liquid soap dispenser between every two hand-

washing points and liquid soap is available in all dispensers. Wash hand basins must be

located within reasonable distance for children’s immediate use after toileting.

Children must have access to hand-drying facilities near hand washing points to dry their

hands after washing. If disposable napkins are provided, children have access to a hands-

free dustbin to dispose used napkins.

Sufficient shower facilities with water heaters must be provided. At least one shower head

is provided for every 50 children.

Privacy must be provided for the children, e.g. the centre installs shower curtains or doors.

This arrangement takes into consideration the children’s age and developmental needs.

The children must have safe access to an outdoor space which can be used for GMA daily. Sufficient

materials and equipment for gross motor activities are to be provided for children. These equipment

and materials are to be accessible to children, age-appropriate, child-safe and in good working

condition. Children are not to have access to any area, object or substance that may be hazardous

to their health and safety, including the risk of falling objects.

For Class B Licence, the Centre must have safe access to an appropriate outdoor space for GMA.

The space must minimally be

of the Centre’s capacity at 4m² per child or 40m², whichever is more.

For Class C Licence, the Centre must have safe access to an appropriate outdoor space for GMA.

The space must minimally be

of the Centre’s capacity at 4m² per child or 40m², whichever is

more.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Safety Measures

For playgrounds at upper levels, suitable barriers are put in place to ensure the children’s safety.

Fencing of at least 1.8 metres in height must be installed.

If outdoor spaces are located near potentially hazardous elements, safety measures are put in place

to prevent children from gaining access to such areas, e.g. setting up barriers to prevent children

from gaining access to roads with busy traffic.

(d) Additional Requirements for Class A licence (infant care services)

Physical Environment

There is sufficient furnishings, equipment and resources/materials for infants’ learning, development

and nap. Furnishings, equipment, and resources/materials used by infants are to be developmentally-

appropriate, child-safe and in good working condition.

The space incorporates specific design elements which cater to the different developmental

milestones of infants. Furnishings are positioned in ways that facilitate the development of children’s

self-help skills (e.g. there are steps near sinks, bars for infants and toddlers to hold on to when

learning to walk).

Requirements are as follows:

• Indoor activity areas for infants are separated from child care children.

• The napping area is physically separated from other activity areas. Partitions or other

suitable barricades may be used to separate the napping area from other areas.

• Both napping and indoor activity areas are protected from general walkways/passageways.

• The infant care area is to be housed preferably on the ground floor of the building.

Otherwise, every level of the area catering to infants is to be equipped with showering,

diapering, feeding and napping facilities.

• Spaces are intentionally designed and set up for infants to rest, roll, sit, crawl, stand and

walk (e.g. firmly padded floor mats for infants to crawl).

• Floor surfaces and area layout are safe for crawling and walking.

• Separate and clearly demarcated activity areas are provided for locomotive and non-

locomotive infants.

Do you know?

Centres must have safe access to an outdoor space which can be used for GMA

daily. If there is no available outdoor space which meets this requirement, the

licence application will be rejected.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Sufficient, safe and age appropriate infant seats or potties and furniture,

e.g. infant tables/chairs and strollers for locomotive infants are provided.

• Cots must be sturdy. There are sufficient cots for at least half or more of the infants

enrolled. Locomotive infants may be allowed to sleep on mattresses but need to be

supervised by staff. Playpens and rockers are not to be used as cots.

• Facilities for sterilisation of milk bottles and appropriate storage are available for baby food

and expressed milk.

• Sink with running water for infant food preparation is provided.

• Toys and materials need to be child-safe so that infants can safely engage in sensory

activities with their mouths, hands and bodies, e.g. there are no small parts nor hidden

safety hazards, such as toxic or peeling paint and mould.

• High chairs (if any) have footrests, side and back supports with a facility for latching the

food tray firmly.

Sanitary Facilities

For applicants applying for a Class A licence, the premises must have sufficient bathing facilities and

implement measures to ensure safety for infants. Appropriate facilities for showering and changing

diapers for infants and toddlers must also be available.

Diaper Changing Tables to Sink Ratio

(applicable for a Class A licence)

*Sink Diaper change table Infants

1 1 10

*Sinks with running water (for showering of infants) are to be installed next to the diaper

changing area with 4 raised sides of at least 3 inches high. The 4 raised sides are to be

measured from the surface of the inner pad. Sinks with running water must be suitable for the

showering of infants. Shower facilities with water heater are installed.

3.5 Staff Provision and Quality

(a) Job Deployment

The staff deployment in an ECDC is crucial. The applicant must employ staff who meet the basic

qualifications and are suitable in terms of age, experience, health, knowledge and disposition within

a preschool setting. The minimum staffing requirements must be met during the application phase.

All centre staff, including programme and non-programme staff, must be registered and approved

by ECDA by the time the premises is licensed to be an ECDC and commences operation. Part (d)

states the minimum staffing requirements to commence operations.

Programme Staff refer to employees who are deployed to work at the ECDC for the care and

education of children. They include Principal, Teachers (TR), Educarers (ED), Infant Educarers (IE),

Assistant Teachers (AT), Assistant Educarers (AE), and Programme Helpers (PH).

Non-Programme Staff refer to employees who are deployed to work at the ECDC in operational or

administrative roles not directly related to the care and education of children. They include managers,

cooks, cleaners, administrators etc.

Parts (e), (f) and (g) highlight the staff-child ratios that must be adhered to when the centre commences

operations.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

(b) Registering Teachers in ONE@ECDA

A temporary ONE@ECDA account will be created for the ECDC to key in the information of all the

staff to be employed at the centre. You will need to key in the information of both programme and

non-programme staff. Programme staff who are eligible for a Letter of Notification (LON) will be

issued one. When the centre is licensed, this account will be converted into a permanent account.

You will need to register any subsequent new staff recruited in your centre in this portal. Please

prepare the following documents for uploading/keying into ONE@ECDA:

• NRIC/Passport/FIN

• Work visa/permit (if applicable)

• Certified true copies of academic and professional qualifications

• Staff Employment Records

• Letter of Notification (if any)

• Pre-employment medical check-up with X-Ray results

• Declaration Form

• Child First Aid certificates

• Approved Basic Food and Hygiene Course (for food handlers only)

To teach in licensed ECDCs in Singapore, the applicant must meet the professional, academic

and language requirements (or equivalent) of the respective certification category. The teacher

certification level, indicated on the LON, indicates the age group of children the applicant can be

employed to teach.

Generally, there are 4 certification levels assigned by the Chief Licensing Officer to qualified teachers.

The professional, academic and language requirements for each level and the corresponding

deployment level are shown in the table below.

Teacher

Certification

Level

Professional Academic Language Deployment Level

L2 Diploma

in Early

Childhood

Care &

Education

5 GCE ‘O’ level

credits in 5

different subjects

B4 in GCE ‘O’

Level English

Language 1

Kindergarten,

Nursery, Pre-Nursery

& Playgroup (18

months – 6 years old)

L1 Certificate

in Early

Childhood

Care &

Education

3 GCE ‘O’ level

credits in 3

different subjects

C6 in GCE ‘O’

Level English

Language 1

Nursery, Pre-Nursery

& Playgroup (18

months – 4 years old)

EY2 Advanced

Certificate in

Early Years

Completed

Secondary 2

Education (local)

Completed 8 years

of formal education

Workplace

Literacy

(WPL)

Average SOA

of 5, including

min. SOA of 5

for Writing

Pre-Nursery,

Playgroup and Infant

(2 months – 3 years

old)

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Teacher

Certification

Level

Professional Academic Language Deployment Level

EY1 Higher

Certificate in

Infant Care

Completed

Secondary 2

Education (local)

Completed 8 years

of formal education

Workplace

Literacy

(WPL)

Average SOA

of 4

Infant Group (2

months –18 months)

Applications for teacher certification are to be submitted through the ONE@ECDA system.

Other factors such as the period which the qualifications were issued may be considered on a case-

by-case basis for teacher certification.

(d) Minimum Staffing Requirements when applying for a new licence

One qualified Principal and;

No. of Programme Staff needed Class of Licence

A minimum of one L2 and two L1 qualified teachers Either Class B or C

A minimum of one L2, one L1 qualified teacher and one

programme staff who is trained at EY1 / Higher Certificate in

Infant Care (HCIC) level / State Registered Nurse (SRN) with

Early Years Development Framework (EYDF) certificate

Either Class A and B

Class A and C

A minimum of three programme staff who are trained at EY1 /

HCIC / SRN with EYDF certificate for centres to be licensed as

a solely infant care centre.

Class A only

The table below is only applicable to centres with multiple bays and the distance between the 2

furthest bays is more than 100m.

No. of Programme Staff needed Distance

An L2-certified Senior Teacher must be appointed for each bay.

For bays which provide only infant services, at least an EY1-

certified Senior Infant Educarer must be appointed.

For centres with

multiple bays with the

furthest blocks being

100 and 400m apart.

L2-certified Key Personnel

For centres with

multiple bays with the

furthest blocks being

300 and 400m apart.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Programme staff must meet the required qualifications to teach the various levels as shown in the

table below.

Employment Title Minimum qualifications required

Roles/Class

they can be

deployed to

1 Principal

• L2 certified and

• Advanced Diploma in Early Childhood

Leadership, or approved alternatives

and

• Has at last 2 years teaching experience

in early childhood setting

Principal

Teacher (“TR”) L2 certified or equivalent, and as approved

by ECDA

Teach Playgroup

to Kindergarten 2

classes

Educarer (ED) –

Nursery

L1 certified or equivalent, as approved by

ECDA

Teach Playgroup to

Nursery classes

Educarer (ED)

– Playgroup,

Pre-Nursery

• EY2 certified or

• Advanced Certificate in Early Years or

equivalent, and as approved by ECDA

• Teach

Playgroup

• Teach Pre-

Nursery

• Care for infants

and toddlers

aged 2 to 18

months

Assistant

Teacher (AT)

• Certificate in Early Childhood Care &

Education or

• Diploma in Early Childhood Care &

Education

Assist Playgroup

to Kindergarten 2

classes

Assistant

Educarer (AE)

Fundamentals or Basic Certificate in Early

Childhood Care & Education

Assist Playgroup to

Nursery classes

Infant Educarer

(IE)

• EY1 certified or

• Higher Certificate in Infant Care/

Certificate in Infant & Toddler Care or

• State Registered Nurse and attended

Early Years Development Framework

(EYDF) Certificate

Care for infants and

toddlers aged 2 to

18 months

Programme

Helpers (PH)

No professional qualifications in early

childhood

Trainees etc

Non-

Programme

Staff

No professional qualifications in early

childhood

Key personnel,

Cleaner,

Administrator, etc

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Additional Requirements

Cooks

For centres providing meals, there must be a cook who has undergone the Basic Food Hygiene

Course with training institutions approved by the National Environment Agency (NEA), before

commencing work.

Trainee Programme Staff

At the time of application, applicants are not allowed to use staff undergoing early childhood education

training as part of the minimum number of teachers required to apply for a new licence.

Teacher Certification

Supporting documents (i.e. professional, academic and language qualifications) for teacher

certification online through ONE@ECDA.

Teachers with foreign qualifications (those who do not have an existing LON) may experience a

delay in the application as assessment is done on a case by case basis.

First Aid Requirements

At the time of application, the Principal/Key Personnel* and two other programme staff must have

valid Child First Aid (CFA) certification accredited by the National Resuscitation and First Aid Council.

For centres with more than 150 children at any one time, there is an additional staff with a valid CFA

certification for every 50 children or part thereof.

*Key Personnel refers to the staff in the centre other than the Principal, who hold leadership roles

and are able to make important decisions in the absence of the Principal.

(e) Staff-child Ratio to be met when the centre commences operations (for children

above 18mths to 6 years old)

There must be sufficient staff during non-programme and programme hours. The table below states

the ratio (of staff to children) to be met for each age group.

For Class B Licence, the programme hours are typically from 9am to 5pm, while non-programme

hours are typically from 7am to 9am and 5pm to 7pm.

Non-Programme Hours Programme Hours (without AT / AE)

Level

No. of

Programme

Staff

No. of

Children

Level

No. of

Programme

Staff

No. of

Children

K2 1 30 K2 1 25

K1 1 25 K1 1 20

Nursery 1 20 Nursery 1 15

Pre-Nursery 1 18 Pre-Nursery 1 12

Playgroup 1 12 Playgroup 1 8

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Additional Requirements

The centre has at least 2 staff present during non-programme hours – of whom one is a programme

staff. At least one of these staff must have valid CFA certification.

In mixed-age groups, the staff-child ratio must be met based on the requirement for the youngest

child present.

(f) Qualified Programme Staff during Programme Hours to be met when the centre

commences operations (for children above 18mths to 6 years old)

Programme Hours (indoors)

Level

No. of

Qualified

Programme Staff

No. of Children

1TR + 1AT 30

1TR 25

1TR + 1AT 25

1 TR 20

Nursery

1ED (L1) + 1AE 20

1ED (L1) 15

Pre-Nursery

1ED (EY2) + 1AE 18

1ED (EY2) 12

Playgroup

1ED (EY2) + 1AE 12

1ED (EY2) 8

Programme Hours (outdoors)

During outdoor activities, the following must be met:

• Qualified programme staff-child ratio for indoors must be met.

• There must be at least 2 adults present at all times, out of which one must be a programme

staff.

(g) Staff-child Ratio (for Class A Licence)

Level No. of Programme Staff No. of Infants

Infant (2 to 18 months) 1 IE or 1 PH 5

For ECDCs offering infant services, the centre must meet the qualified programme staff-infant ratio

during operational hours (typically 7am to 7pm) must be met.

There must be at least 2 programme staff members present at all times, one of whom must be an

Infant Educarer.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

At least one of the staff must have CFA certification accredited by National Resuscitation & First Aid

Council at all times.

There must be a primary caregiving system to support the continuity and stability of care for infants.

(h) Health Clearances required for staff

All ECDC staff working in the centre must undergo a pre-employment medical check-up to be certified

fit for employment before starting work. Due to close contact with children on a daily basis, all staff

(including the cook/relief cook/cleaner etc.) must be certified as ‘medically fit for employment’ by a

registered medical practitioner. All the staff’s medical results must be available for inspection at all

times. The types of medical clearance required for ECDC personnel are shown in the table below.

Medical Clearance Frequency

General physical examination Once only.

If there is a change of employment, the staff

must undergo another medical examination (not

required if examination was done within a year).

Chest X-ray

Fit for employment

Vaccination against mumps, measles, rubella

and varicella*

No. of doses to be advised by doctors

depending on patient’s history

*Staff who have been infected with mumps, measles, rubella and varicella / received immunisation

for these diseases are not required to be vaccinated for the diseases.

Staff who have not been infected / not received immunization for mumps, measles, rubella and

varicella may undertake a serological blood test to test the presence of antibodies or receive

immunisation without undergoing serological blood test.

(i) Declaration of Financial Capacity and Offences

All key appointment holders including directors, partners, committee / board members must sign and

submit the following:

• Declaration of Financial Capacity Form

• Declaration form to confirm they have / have not been issued a warning letter by ECDA and have

/ have not been convicted of criminal offences.

All staff working in an ECDC must also sign and submit a declaration form to confirm that they have

/ have not been issued a warning letter by ECDA and have / have not been convicted of criminal

offences.

3.6 Administration, Record Keeping and Standard Operating Procedures

Having good governance and administration is important for ECDCs. Relevant documentation,

record keeping and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) must be maintained and up-to-date. The

following documents must be ready during the application phase. All information must be available

upon request during the officer’s visit.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

(a) Parent’s Handbook

A parent’s handbook with comprehensive information to parents or guardians must be provided

upon enrolment. Policies must be highlighted and explained to parents or guardians, and they must

acknowledge reading the handbook and agree to the centre’s policies. The parent’s handbook must

include the following:

• Centre’s philosophy of care and education

• Objectives for each age group of children

• Activities designed to promote the physical, intellectual, emotional and social aspects of

children’s learning and development

• Age range of children who may be enrolled

• Centre’s period of operation (i.e. days and timing)

• Types of services provided by the centre

• Monthly fees

• Incidental charges

• Daily programme schedule for each age group

• Promotion of centre-parent partnership

• Training of programme staff

• Annual closure days

• Centre policies including

- Procedures for registration, admission and withdrawal of children

- Procedures for handling illnesses / emergencies and exclusion due to contagious

diseases and illnesses

- Procedure for transport of children (if any)

- Procedures for fee collection and other incidental charges

- Provision of trial period (if any) including refund of fees and deposit for withdrawal

during the trial period

- Termination and withdrawal policy

• Parents’ consent for excursions and field trips

• Authorised person(s) for fetching of children

• Parents’ consent for emergency medical care

• Parents’ acknowledgement (i.e. signatures) to acknowledge the receipt of the handbook

(b) Particulars of Children, Parents and/or Guardians

There must be a system to capture up-to-date particulars of children enrolled in the centre and

their parents or guardians for the centre to monitor the children’s well-being. The information of all

children must be easily accessible to authorised personnel. They must include the following:

• Child or infant’s enrolment form

• Copy of Birth Certificate/Citizenship Certificate/Passport/FIN of child or infant

• Any known medical conditions and/or food or drug allergies of child or infant

• Long-term medication (if any) taken by the child or infant

• Name and contact of family physician of child or infant (if any)

• Emergency contact information of child or infant

• Parents’ or guardians’ written authorisation for the centre to take the necessary measures

during an emergency, as stipulated in the centres’ Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

• Record of authorized personnel(s) permitted to fetch child or infant from centre (Name,

NRIC, Address)

• Immunisation records of child or infant

• Child or infant’s allergies

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Up-to-date records of parents or guardians’ particulars must be maintained. The records must include

the following:

• Names of parents or guardians

• Contact information of parents or guardians (home and email addresses, telephone and

mobile numbers)

• Copy of NRIC / Citizenship Certificate / Passport / FIN of parents or guardians

Records of known food allergies of individual children are to be displayed in the kitchen/pantry and

food serving areas.

There is a system or method to keep records of all of the following:

• Accidents / Incidents

• Illnesses / Outbreak of diseases

• Deviations from regular programme / menu

• Special activities / field trips

• Arrival time of children

• Attendance of children

• Signing out records of parents when they pick up their children. Measures are in place to

ensure that children leave the centre with persons authorised by their parents / guardians only.

• Visitors’ log

• All information regarding medication administered to each child is kept i.e. the child’s name

and medication, dosage, manner of administration, date, time, name and signature of

administrator and written authorisation with guardian’s name and signature.

• No. of evacuation exercises conducted, including the date, time, attendance for the day

and duration of the exercises and the area from which the mock incident started. If there

are infants, a separate evacuation procedure is displayed to state how they would be

evacuated in an emergency.

• Time that the centre carries out daily temperature and health checks for children, staff and

visitors upon arrival.

• Daily routine and developmental needs of individual infant (for Class A licence)

• Type / amount of formula milk required for every child (for Class A licence)

(d) Staff Particulars

The staff particulars are to be in order and updated. Relevant information is uploaded in ONE@ECDA.

• Letter of appointment/employment

• Copy of NRIC/Passport/FIN

• Copy of a valid work pass (if applicable)

• Certified true copies of academic / professional qualifications

• Pre-employment medical check-up with chest X-Ray results

• Declaration of Offences or Warnings

• First Aid certificates

• Approved Basic Food and Hygiene Course certification (for food handlers only)

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

(e) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Safety

SOPs on safety measures refer to a set of written instructions which staff may refer to in the event of

accidents or emergencies. The SOPs must include:

• Emergency evacuation for crisis situations

• Handling of safety-related incidents, major and minor injuries, death of a child or infant, and

reporting to parents and relevant authorities within 24 hours

• Supervision of children or infants when they are outside centre’s premises

• Dismissal of children or infants and measures to ensure that children are dismissed to

persons authorised by their parents / guardians

• Non-collection of children or infants by their parents / guardians

• Mandatory and voluntary centre closures

• Sleeping and showering arrangements for children and infants

• Measures to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (for Class A licence)

• Movement of children between bays and where children have to cross roads (only

for centres with multiple bays)

(f) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Health and Hygiene

SOPs on health and hygiene refer to a set of written instructions which users may refer to safeguard

health and hygiene, or in the event of a crisis. The SOPs must include:

• Daily temperature-taking and visual health checks for children, infants, staff and visitors

• Management and reporting in the event of an outbreak of infectious disease

• Emergency contact tracing procedures

• Management of haze situation

• Handling of food

• Washing and disinfecting equipment such as toys and manipulatives

• All special events and celebrations held involving the provision of food

• Administration of medicine

• Management of allergies

• Procedures for diaper changing, sterilisation of milk bottles, and showering

procedures (for Class A licence)

(g) Guidelines on Child Guidance and Behaviour Management and Child-Safe Policies

There must be a comprehensive guide on child guidance and behaviour management which in-

cludes but are not limited to the following:

• Staff use positive and developmentally appropriate methods of guidance and management

to encourage positive behaviours

• Staff collaborate with each other and the children’s families in managing challenging

behaviours, and involve other professionals where necessary.

• Boundaries are set and children, infants and parents are aware of the consequences of

unacceptable behaviour.

• Corporal punishment, humiliation, intimidation or withholding food and beverages as forms

of disciplinary action are strictly prohibited. This includes isolation and physical restriction of

movements, neglect and deliberate absence of response.

• A set of child-safe policies and guidelines.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

(h) Other Areas

• Creation of a CDLENS account with Ministry of Health (MOH), for reporting of infectious

diseases.

• A list of emergency phone numbers easily accessible to all staff at all times must be displayed

near the telephones and includes the following:

- Emergency Ambulance and Fire (995)

- Non-Emergency Ambulance (1777)

- Police Emergency (999)

- Nearest Neighbourhood Police Post (NPP) and address

- Nearest clinic and address

- Nearest hospital and address

• If meals are provided, written menus must be displayed. There must be at least 2 sets of

menu for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.

• For Class A licence, there must be at least 2 sets of written menu for each group (7-9 months,

10-12 months, 13-18 months) of infants.

(i) First Aid Kit

First aid kits in the centre must be maintained with items which are not expired. They are located at

a fixed convenient place that is easily and readily accessible to all staff at all times. The first aid kit

must contain the following items for every 150 children, but are not limited to the following quantity:

S/No Contents Qty

1 Sterile cotton wool balls 2 packs

2 Saline in 10cc vials 4

3 Dressing forceps and powder free latex gloves or vinyl gloves 1 set

4 Sterile absorbent gauze(min 5 pcs/pack) 6 packs

5 Hypoallergenic tape 1 roll

6 Adhesive dressing (first aid plasters) 20 pcs (various sizes)

7 Crepe Bandage (5cm) 3 packs

8 Triangular bandage with safety pins 3 packs

9 Scissors 1 pair

10 Torch light with battery 1 piece

11 Ziploc bags 2 pieces

12 Resuscitation mask 1 piece

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

(j) Portable First Aid Kit

A portable first aid kit must be maintained for out-of-centre use. The first aid kit must contain the

following items, but are not limited to the following quantity:

S/No Contents Qty

1 Sterile cotton wool balls 2 packs

2 Saline in 10cc vials 4 vials

3 Dressing forceps/powder free latex gloves or vinyl gloves 1 set

4 Sterile absorbent gauze(min 5 pcs/pack) 3 packs

5 Crepe Bandage (5cm) 2 packs

6 Adhesive dressings (first aid plasters) 10 pcs (various sizes)

7 Triangular bandage with safety pins 2 packs

3.7 Preschool Learning Experience

The centre’s philosophy and programme is an integral part of the children’s education.

(a) Centre’s Programme Philosophy, Goals and Approach

There must be a philosophy on which the programme is based, and the interest of the child must be

central to the centre’s philosophy. It may include the centre’s values and beliefs on children’s devel-

opment, care and education as well as partnership with the family and community. These must be

clearly communicated and shared with parents and staff via parents’ and staff’s handbook, on the

website or displayed in the office.

The centre’s programme goals and outcomes must be guided by sound early childhood education

and care principles. Reference may be made to the Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) and Early Years

Development Framework (EYDF), to set programme goals and outcomes, which comprise the fol-

lowing:

• Culturally and developmentally appropriate practices

• Integrated and holistic learning

• Child-centric and authentic experiences with quality interactions

• Play as pedagogy

(b) Centre’s Programme Plan

There must be a programme plan that supports and facilitates the learning and developmental needs

of all children. The centre’s programme plan must provide for all age-groups / levels for the entire

calendar year, which includes:

• Objectives, milestones or learning goals

• Annual calendar of centre events, e.g. excursions, festive celebrations

• Curriculum plans, e.g. term plans, daily or weekly lessons plans

• Daily schedule and routines (displayed in centre)

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

The centre’s programme is holistic and covers key areas of learning and development. The centre’s

programme covers all physical, intellectual, emotional and social aspects of children’s learning and

development. For children aged 18-months and above, the key areas of learning and development

are outlined in the NEL and EYDF, which comprise (may be classified/termed differently) the following:

• Language and Literacy

• Aesthetics and Creative Expression

• Discovery of the World

• Motor Skills Development

• Social and Emotional Development

• Numeracy

The centre’s programme is balanced, holistic and developmentally appropriate. It covers all physical,

intellectual, emotional and social aspects of children’s learning and development, and provides a

varied experience for every child. The programme provides stability and order and every child is

meaningfully engaged in the activities. A varied experience may cover the following:

• Indoor and outdoor experiences

• Active and quiet play, structured and free play

• Rest and routine care period and meal time (For Class A and B licenses only)

• Large groups, small groups and individual activity time

• Learning experiences outside the centre

Frequency of Gross Motor Activities (GMA)

• For full-day programmes, 1 hour daily, with at least 30 minutes outdoors or 45 minutes thrice

weekly outdoors

• For half-day programmes, 30 min thrice weekly, with at least one session outdoors

The centre’s indoor and outdoor spaces are used purposefully for different types of learning and

development activities. The indoor and outdoor spaces allow for different group sizes and types

of activities. They are not limited to the centre’s premises (e.g. play or locomotive areas, learning

centres, library, or neighbourhood parks). The space is designed to encourage exploration. Play

areas are to be easily accessible by children.

Various types of teaching and learning aids and manipulatives for every learning area/domain

are used. The variety of materials is able to sustain the children’s interest, promote the children’s

development and provide different experiences. Play equipment and materials are accessible to all

children.

The centre’s learning space is able to facilitate self-directed learning, group interaction and play. The

indoor and outdoor learning spaces provide platforms, materials and equipment to foster autonomy,

on-task behaviours and independence in children. It also encourages children to interact and play

with one another. Activity spaces are set up intentionally to allow children to carry out specific

activities independently.

(d) Children’s Progress

There must be documents to show how centres observe, document and assess children’s key areas

of learning and development. The progress of individual children’s learning and development are to

be updated and shared with parents at least once every 6 months.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

(e) Additional Requirements for Class A licence (infant care services)

Centre’s Programme Plan

There is a programme plan which supports and facilitates the individual learning and developmental

needs of all infants. The programme plan is guided by the following:

• Planned activities and transitions consider/support the infants’ need for locomotion.

• Routines are used as opportunities to build warm and secure relationships with infants for

learning and development.

• There are ample opportunities for infants’ free movement and exploration.

• A 15-30 min outdoor experience once a week for infants 6 months and above is provided.

The centre’s programme plan for infants includes:

• Objectives, milestones or learning goals

• Activity plans

• Daily schedules and routines (displayed in the centre)

The programme also facilitates integrated learning across all domains. Infants are

developed in the following domains:

• Physical development

• Social-emotional development

• Language and communication development

• Cognitive development

Learning Environment

Various types of teaching and learning aids and manipulatives for infant development are used. The

play equipment and materials support infants’ free movement and exploration. Play materials are to

be accessible to all infants to provide varied experiences (with appropriate supervision provided).

Infant’s Progress

There are records of the routine needs (routine needs include feeds, naps and bowel movements)

of each individual infant. The records are to be communicated to parents daily. The following must

also be tracked:

• Records and sharing of regular observations, documentation and assessment of each

individual infant’s learning and development at least once every 3 months.

• Documentation and sharing of the infants’ developmental milestones with parents.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

4 SUBMISSION OF THE NEW

LICENCE APPLICATION

4.1 A Checklist to Guide the Process of Setting Up

Question

For more

information

Please

check

Do you have documents of the entity which owns the ECDC? refer to 3.2

Are your premises suitable for use as an ECDC? refer to 3.4

Have you obtained all the statutory approvals required for the

premises to be used as an ECDC?

Do you have a QP-certified floor plan with breakdown of

areas indicated?

Have you employed the minimum number of staff required to

commence operations?

refer to 3.5

Do you have records of all your staff? (e.g. medical,

academic, professional qualification, child first aid certificate,

employment letter)

Do you have a comprehensive parent’s handbook? refer to 3.6

Have you prepared your centre’s administrative records (i.e.

samples / templates of the centre’s operational records)?

Have you done all of your centre’s Standard Operating

Procedures (SOPs)?

Do you have your centre’s programme plan? refer to 3.7

Does your centre’s learning environment meet the

requirements?

After you have checked the above, you can refer to Annex A for the complete list of documents to

be submitted to ECDA before the site visit. Subsequently, you can refer to Annex B and conduct a

self-assessment to ensure the premises meet the requirements of an ECDC.

4.2 Workflow for New Licence Application

The following workflow shows the procedure to apply for an ECDC licence

• Applicant submits an electronic licence application

for an ECDC via GoBusiness Licensing Portal.

• Applicant pays the application and licence fee of

$500 through the portal

• ECDA receives electronic application from the portal.

• Applicant will be informed via email of the following:

- Licensing Officer (LO) who will be processing the application.

- Temporary account login details for ONE@ECDA.

• Applicant is to log into ECDA’s IT system to submit all the required documents.

• Applicant is to log into ONE@ECDA to key in all staff’s names and apply for

LON (if necessary).

• LO will schedule an on-site visit with the applicant through CMS.

• LO will conduct an on-site visit.

• Site visit report will be sent to the applicant for acknowledgement.

• New Licence Application form may be returned to applicant for amendment/

update.

• Applicant is to log into CMS to update and submit outstanding documents.

Are the following requirements met?

• Applicant made all necessary rectifications

and amendments.

• Premises meets all requirements and

ready for operations.

Yes

Applicant is to liaise with LO on the status

of application. Applicant is to rectify and

re-submit documents when ready.

LO will process the application

within 14 working days.

Application

supported?

Yes

• Applicant will receive an email notification on approval

of licence and accompanying conditions (if any).

• Applicant is to print the licence from CMS and display

the licence at a prominent location of the premises.

SUBMISSION OF THE NEW LICENCE APPLICATION

ANNEX

Annex A Document Checklist

1. Tick the boxes () on the right to ensure that you have all the required documents prior to the site

visit.

2. Please ensure that these documents are provided to the Licensing Officer for his / her verification.

ECDA will not process the application if the submission is incomplete.

Statutory Approvals

S/N Documents Met

Not

Met

N.A.

Validation of Legal Entity – ACRA

, ROS

Registration, IPC

Registration, Co-Op

or others

  

Approved Use of Premises from URA

and / or other relevant

agencies for the use of premises as an ECDC

  

Ownership or Tenancy Agreement from HDB

, SLA

, landlord or

others

  

4 TOP

/ CSC

from BCA

  

Letter by Qualified Person (QP) to certify whether resubmission to

BCA is required

  

6 TFP

/ FSC

from SCDF

  

Letter by Qualified Person (QP) to certify that the floor plan

submitted to ECDA is the same as the one submitted to SCDF

  

8 QP-certified floor plan with breakdown of floor areas

  

9 Direct Credit Authorisation Form (for subsidy)

  

1 Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority

2 Registry of Societies

3 Charities & Institution of a Public Character

4 Co-Operatives

5 Urban Redevelopment Authority

6 Housing Development Board

7 Singapore Land Authority

8 Temporary Occupation Permit

9 Certificate of Statutory Completion

10 Building and Construction Authority

11 Temporary Fire Permit

12 Fire Safety Certificate

13 Singapore Civil Defence Force

Staff Provision and Quality

S/N

Minimum number of staff required to commence operations.

(Note : Apply for Letter of Notification (LON) via ONE@ECDA

for staff who do not have LON certification)

Met

Not

Met

N.A.

1 A qualified Principal

  

Class B or Class C Licence:

At least one L2 and two L1 certified teachers

  

Class A and B Licence or Class A and C Licence:

At least one L2, one L1 certified teacher and one programme staff

who is trained at:

• EY2 / EY1 certified or

• Certificate in Infant/Toddler Care (CITC) or

• State Registered Nurse (SRN) with Early Years Development

Framework (EYDF) certificate

  

Class A Licence:

At least three programme staff who are trained at:

• EY2 / EY1 certified or

• CITC or

• SRN with EYDF certificate

  

For centres with multiple bays, two furthest blocks being 100-400m

apart:

A L2-certified Senior Teacher appointed for each bay or at least an

EY1-certified Senior Infant Educarer appointed if the bay only offers

infant care services. The Senior Teacher/Infant Educarer can be

counted towards the centre’s qualified staff-child ratio.

  

For centres with multiple bays, furthest blocks being 300-400m

apart:

A L2-Certified Key Personnel. The key personnel cannot be counted

towards the centre’s qualified programme staff-child ratio.

  

7 A cook

  

Staff Provision and Quality

S/N

Records of Staff Particulars

(certified true copy by the licensee)

Met

Not

Met

N.A.

Letter of appointment / employment by the centre or

Letter of transfer from one centre to another (under the same legal

entity)

  

2 Pre-employment medical clearance

  

3 Declaration form

  

4 Child First Aid Certificate

  

5 Basic Food and Hygiene Certificate

  

ANNEX

Safety, Health and Hygiene

S/N Operational Records Met

Not

Met

N.A.

Emergency evacuation procedures for staff and children. Separate

evacuation procedures must be provided for infants.

  

For centres in B1 industrial premises:

Key appointment holders / personnel to be represented as a

stakeholder in the building’s Fire Safety Committee (FSC), and

work with the building management on emergency responses and

evacuation procedures for the safety of children and staff via the

Incident Management Plan (IMP).

  

Evacuation records include the date, time, attendance for the day,

duration of the exercises and the area where the simulated “fire” or

incident started.

  

Centre Log Book to record unusual events - e.g. accidents /

incidents / illnesses /outbreak of diseases / deviations from regular

programme / menu / special activities or field trips conducted

outside the centre visitors

  

5 Daily attendance register of children and staff

  

6 Daily temperature and health checks for children, staff and visitors

  

7 Sign-in and Sign-out records of children, staff and visitors

  

S/N Children’s Records (Sample Form) Met

Not

Met

N.A.

Centre’s enrolment form for individual children or infants contain

information as specified at the Glossary.

  

S/N

Medication Records (Sample Form)

Forms for individual children must include the following fields:

Met

Not

Met

N.A.

1 Child or infant’s name and medicine

  

2 Dosage, manner, date and time of administration

  

3 Name and signature of staff administering medicine

  

Written authorisation from parent or guardian (including their name

and signature)

  

S/N Menu Met

Not

Met

N.A.

At least 2 sets of weekly menu for breakfast, lunch and afternoon

tea.

(Please note that the guidelines for food served as specified at the

Glossary for Class B Licence are to be followed.)

  

For Class A Licence:

At least 2 sets of written menu for each group of infants

(7-9 months, 10-12 months, 13-18 months)

  

ANNEX

Safety, Health and Hygiene - Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

S/N SOPs on safety-related measures Met

Not

Met

N.A.

1 Emergency evacuation for crisis situations.

  

Handling of safety-related incidents, major and minor injuries, death

of a child or infant, and reporting to parents and relevant authorities

within 24 hours.

  

3 Supervision of children or infants outside centre’s premises

  

Dismissal of children or infants and measures to ensure that children

and infants are dismissed to persons authorised to fetch them

  

5 Non-collection of children or infants from the centre

  

6 Mandatory / Voluntary centre closures

  

For centres with multiple bays: Movement of children between bays

for crossing of vehicular/service roads (if applicable)

  

8 Sleeping and showering arrangements for children

  

For Class A Licence:

A dedicated emergency evacuation procedures for evacuating

infants.

  

S/N SOPs on health-related measures Met

Not

Met

N.A.

Daily temperature-taking and visual health checks for staff, children,

infants and visitors

  

Management and reporting in the event of an outbreak of infectious

disease

  

3 Emergency contact tracing procedures

  

4 Management of haze situation

  

5 Handling of food

  

6 Washing and disinfecting equipment such as toys and manipulatives

  

All special events and celebrations held in the centre involving the

provision of food

  

8 Administration of medicine

  

9 Management of allergies

  

S/N SOPs on management of children Met

Not

Met

N.A.

1 Child guidance and behaviour management

  

2 Child safe policies and guidelines

  

ANNEX

Safety, Health and Hygiene - Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

S/N

SOP

Applicable for Class A Licence (Infant Services)

Met

Not

Met

N.A.

1 Measures to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

  

2 Written procedures for diaper change

  

Written procedures for sterilisation of milk bottles and milk

preparation

  

4 Written procedures for showering infants

  

School Experience

S/N Records Met

Not

Met

N.A.

1 Centre’s philosophy

  

2 Programme goals and outcomes

  

Age-appropriate curriculum framework and programme plan (e.g.

term, weekly, daily lesson plans)

  

Annual calendar of centre events e.g. excursions, festive

celebrations

  

Daily programme schedule (please note the following guidelines for

Gross Motor Activities as specified in the Glossary)

  

6 Parents’ Handbook

  

S/N

Records

Applicable for Class A Licence (Infant Services)

Met

Not

Met

N.A.

1 Programme plan (e.g. activity plans)

  

Individual routine needs record (i.e. Feeds, naps and bowel

movements)

  

3 Profile of individual infant development

  

Daily programme schedule (includes a 15 to 30 min outdoor

experience once a week for infants aged 6 months and above)

  

ANNEX

Glossary

Centre’s enrolment form for individual

• Copy of Birth Certificate / Citizenship Certificate / Passport / FIN of child or infant

• Any known medical conditions and/or allergies of child or infant

• Long-term medication (if any) taken by child or infant

• Name and contact of family physician of child or infant (if any)

• Emergency contact information of child or infant

• Parents’ or Guardians’ written authorisation for the centre to take the necessary

measures during an emergency, as stated in the Standard Operating Procedure.

• Record of authorized personnel(s) permitted to fetch child or infant from centre

(Name, NRIC, Address)

• Immunisation records of child or infant

• Names of Parents or Guardians (Contact information, NRIC / Citizenship Certificate /

Passport)

Guidelines for food served

Please note the following guidelines for food served:

• Provides water for the children throughout the day. Syrup, cordial and commercially

prepared drinks without the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) are not allowed. Milk is

allowed.

• If lunch is served, the food must have the three main groups:

- Wholegrains

- Lean meat or other protein food alternatives

- Vegetables

• Provides fruits to children:

a. For full-day service : Daily

b. For half-day service : At least once a week

• Provides calcium-rich food and beverages such as milk, calcium-fortified soy milk,

cheese, yoghurt, and tofu to children:

a. For full-day service : Twice a week

b. For half-day service : At least once a week

• Uses cooking oil with the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS).

• The following food are not allowed:

- Deep-fried food

- Pre-deep fried food upon purchase

- Preserved food

Guidelines for Gross Motor Activities

Gross motor activities are carried out i.e.

• For full day services: 1 hour daily, with at least 30 minutes outdoors or 45 minutes thrice

weekly outdoors or equivalent

• For half day services: 30 min thrice weekly, with at least one session outdoors or

equivalent

ANNEX

Annex B Site Visit Checklist

Indoor Environment

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

Class B Licence:

There must be 3m

floor space area for every child. Areas computed

to meet this requirement exclude service / entrance areas, and

corridors.

  

Class C Licence:

There must be 1.88m

floor space area for every child. Areas

computed to meet this requirement exclude service / entrance areas,

and corridors.

  

3 Each activity area is at least 12m

  

4 Usable areas are fully enclosed, weather proof with good ventilation.

  

There is sufficient indoor space for children and infants to participate

in individual or group activities.

  

There are clear pathways for staff, children and infants to move, and

corridors are wide enough for children to walk in pairs.

  

7 Floor surfaces are not slippery and well-maintained.

  

There is a comfortable environment for children and infants’ learning

and development (e.g. appropriate lighting, good ventilation and air

quality, comfortable temperature).

  

There are sufficient furnishings, equipment, resources and materials

for children’s learning, development and rest.

  

The premises, furnishings, equipment and materials used by children

are in good working condition, child-safe and developmentally

appropriate.

  

The centre’s premises are secured to prevent any unauthorised

personnel from accessing it.

  

Areas, facilities and equipment that pose a safety risk to children and

infants are secured.

  

13 Hazardous materials are kept away from children.

  

Safety gates or barriers are installed at the head and foot of staircases

which children have access to.

  

Staircase railings are installed at children’s height so that children

can use them while climbing the stairs.

  

16 Height of railing at staircase landings and corridors are at least 1.5m.

  

Gaps between banister railings and steps of the staircases are narrow/

covered up to ensure children’s safety (e.g. child/infant’s body parts

are not at risk of being caught in the gap).

  

ANNEX

Indoor Environment

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

Centres situated above the ground level have windows and/or window

grilles that are secured.

  

Keys for both the window and window grilles are kept out of children

and infants’ reach but are made easily accessible to staff.

  

No doors with double action spring hinges can be installed on the

premises (i.e. swing doors).

  

Sanitary Facilities

The centre has sufficient number of sanitary facilities to meet the accommodation capacity

(AC).

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

There are at least 2 child-sized wash hand basins suitable for use

by children, and at least 2 child-sized flush toilets of which the height

of the toilets does not exceed 400mm when measured without seat

from the floor.

There are sufficient child-sized flush toilets (1 : 23). The height of the

toilets does not exceed 400mm, measured without seat, from the floor.

  

There are sufficient hand-washing points (1 : 23). The wash hand

basins must be child-sized and suitable for use by children. Hand-

washing points are located at children’s height level and children can

reach them easily.

  

4 There are sufficient soap dispensers (1 to 2 hand-washing points).

  

There are sufficient shower heads (1 : 50). Bathing facilities must

have water heaters.

  

6 There are mirrors placed at children’s eye level.

  

Child-sized toilets and wash hand basins are available at every level/

bay and easily accessible to children

  

Appropriate hand drying facilities (e.g. single use disposable paper

towels) are installed near hand washing points.

  

If disposable napkins are provided, children have access to a hands-

free dustbin to dispose of used napkins.

  

Toilets are separated by partitions to provide privacy for the child, and

are of appropriate height to allow for supervision by staff.

  

Privacy for children is provided during toileting and showering (e.g.

shower curtains or doors in at least one cubicle).

  

Every cubicle has sufficient supply of toilet paper within a child’s easy

reach.

  

ANNEX

Outdoor / Indoor Space for Gross Motor Activities (GMA)

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

A suitable space for children to use for gross motor activities is

provided (GMA).

For Class B Licence:

of the centre’s accommodation capacity at

per child or 40m

, whichever is more.

For Class C Licence:

of the centre’s accommodation capacity at

per child or 40m

, whichever is more.

  

There is sufficient outdoor and indoor play space for GMA to be

carried out.

  

3 There are sufficient materials and equipment for gross motor activities.

  

Gross motor equipment is age-appropriate, child-safe and in good

working condition.

  

For gross motor play areas above ground level, suitable barriers are

put in place to ensure the children's safety (i.e. fencing of at least 1.8

metres in height is installed).

  

The outdoor space is clear of potential hazards (e.g. objects,

substances).

  

If outdoor spaces are located near potentially hazardous elements,

safety measures are put in place to prevent children from gaining

access to such areas.

  

8 Children have safe access to outdoor play space.

  

First Aid Kit

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

At least one First Aid kit (with sufficient items as outlined in the

Glossary) is maintained

  

At least one Portable First Aid kit (with sufficient items as outlined in

the Glossary) is maintained

  

Health Facilities

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

Designated isolation area/sick bay for children who are unwell to rest

in is fully enclosed. It is comfortable, well-ventilated and conducive

for the child or infant to rest in. The area is available at all times.

  

2 Suitable space for use during a haze episode.

  

Air purifiers are available to cover a space which can accommodate

at least 50% of the centre’s accommodation capacity.

  

ANNEX

Food Preparation Facilities

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

1 Designated area for food preparation (i.e. kitchen or pantry)

  

Children do not have access to the kitchen or pantry. Suitable barri-

ers such as a door or safety gate is installed.

  

Items to be displayed

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

1 Centre’s Declaration of Tenancy Agreement

  

2 Emergency evacuation procedures for fire and other crises

  

List of Emergency Phone Numbers

• Fire and Ambulance (995)

• Non-emergency Ambulance (1777)

• Police (999)

• Nearest neighbourhood police post (NPP) and address

• Nearest clinic and address

• Nearest hospital and address

  

4 At least 2 different sets of weekly menu

  

5 Daily programme schedule for every level

  

ANNEX

Indoor Environment

Applicable for Class A Licence (Infant Services)

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

There must be 5m

floor space area for every infant.

Areas computed to meet this requirement exclude service / entrance

areas, corridors, milk preparation and diaper changing areas.

  

Indoor activity area for infants is separated from the older children

(i.e. 18 months and above).

  

Space is demarcated between locomotive and non-locomotive

infants.

  

The napping area is physically separated from other activity areas.

Partitions or other suitable barricades may be used to separate the

napping area.

  

Both napping and indoor activity areas are located away from main

corridors.

  

Infant service should preferably be located on the ground floor of the

premises. If not, every level of the premises catered for infants is to

be equipped with showering, diapering, feeding and napping facilities.

  

7 Floor surfaces and area layout are safe for crawling and walking.

  

8 Spaces are intentionally set up for infants to move about.

  

Spaces incorporate elements to cater to the different developmental

milestones of infants.

  

Space, Facilities and Resources

Applicable for Class A Licence (Infant Services)

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

There is sufficient furnishings, equipment and resources / materials

for infants’ learning, development and nap.

  

The premises, furnishings, equipment, and resources / materials

are in good working condition, child-safe and developmentally-

appropriate

  

There are various types of teaching and learning aids for infants’

development.

  

There are sufficient cots to provide for at least half or more of the infants

enrolled. Locomotive infants are allowed to sleep on mattresses with

staff supervision.

  

Cots are sturdy and do not fall over. Playpens are not to be used as

cots.

  

High chairs (if any) have footrests, side and back supports with a

place for latching the food tray firmly. For low tables and chairs,

infants’ feet must be able to touch the ground when seated.

  

ANNEX

Sanitary Facilities

Applicable for Class A Licence (Infant Services)

The centre has sufficient number of sanitary facilities to meet the accommodation capacity (AC).

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

Sufficient number (1 : 10) of sinks with running water (for showering of

infants) next to the diaper change tables is provided.

  

2 Sufficient number (1 : 10) of diaper change tables is provided.

  

The diaper change tables have 4 raised sides of at least 3 inches high

(to be measured from the surface of the inner pad).

  

4 Facilities for sterilization of milk bottles and food/milk preparation.

  

Sufficient bathing facilities and measures to ensure safety for infants

are in place.

  

Items to be displayed

Applicable for Class A Licence (Infant Services)

S/N Requirements Met

Not

Met

N.A.

Procedures for diaper changing, milk preparation, sterilisation of milk

bottle and showering of infants.

  

Dedicated emergency evacuation procedures for infants during fire

and other crises.

  

Daily observation record on each infant such as feeds, naps and

bowel movements (i.e. individual routine needs).

  

4 Record of type and amount of formula milk required for each child.

  

A written menu for each group (7-9 months, 10-12 months, 13-18

months).

  

ANNEX

Glossary

First Aid Kit

S/N Item Quantity

1 Sterile cotton wool balls 2 packs

2 Saline in 10cc vials 4 vials

3 Dressing forceps and powder free latex gloves or vinyl gloves 1 set

4 Sterile absorbent gauze (min 5 pcs/pack) 6 packs

5 Hypoallergenic tape 1 roll

6 Adhesive dressing (first aid plasters)

20 pieces

(various sizes)

7 Crepe Bandage (5cm) 3 packs

8 Triangular bandage with safety pins 3 packs

Scissors 1 pair

10 Torch light with battery 1 piece

11 Ziploc bags 2 pieces

12 Resuscitation mask 1 piece

Portable First Aid Kit

S/N Item Quantity

1 Sterile cotton wool balls 2 packs

2 Saline in 10 cc vials 4 vials

3 Dressing forceps and powder free latex gloves or vinyl gloves 1 set

4 Sterile absorbent gauze (min 5 pcs/pack) 3 packs

5 Crepe Bandage (5 cm) 2 packs

6 Adhesive dressing (first aid plasters)

10 pieces

(various sizes)

7 Triangular bandage with safety pins 3 packs

ANNEX