Guidelines and licenses

In Shanghai, one of China's most developed cities, high-tech security systems have been compulsory in licensed child care centers for more than a year.

On April 28 last year, the city government issued a guideline of general standards for child care centers.

The document stipulated that security systems should meet the requirements of "intelligent" public security, and emergency alarms linked to local police stations should be installed. Meanwhile, the premises should be monitored 24 hours a day.

According to the document, only child care centers that meet these criteria will be issued with official operating licenses.

The Leleshu Child Care Center, certified by the Shanghai government in April, has installed a video system to monitor every centimeter of the premises in the event of unauthorized individuals, improper behavior or accidents that may endanger safety.

Intelligent surveillance

Meanwhile, a facial-recognition system is in use at the entrance to ensure the children are protected from unauthorized individuals.

According to the websites and official introductions of 10 child care centers in Shanghai, intelligent surveillance systems are a standard requirement at every institution, and some centers use additional high-tech equipment to further ensure the children's safety.

However, despite these developments, some parents are still concerned.

"There are so many kids, but such a small number of teachers in the center that I'm not sure they have the time and energy to take good care of every kid. But it is the teachers who matter in security issues," said Wei Jiaping, who has two children.

Even though a local child care center has been fitted with security equipment, Wei refuses to send her second child, a 3-year-old girl, there.

Instead, she relies on family members to look after her children, despite the fact they are busy.

Yang Juhua, a professor in the Department of Demographics at Renmin University of China in Beijing, said a shortage of qualified staff members and service providers is a major hurdle stopping child care centers from gaining the trust and confidence of parents and society as a whole.