Registration
How many children can a day-care centre accommodate before registering the business?
If there are five children or less you do not need to register the business. However, once there are six or more children you have to register.
When should a day-care centre be registered?
“You only need to register a day-care centre if there are six or more children,” says community development officer, Tinyiko Shibambu at the Department of Social Development in Johannesburg.
“First you have to register the business as an NPO (Non Profit Organisation). Once you have a NPO certificate, then you can register the day-care centre with the Department of Social Development,” advises Shibambu.
Contact the Department of Social Development for details.
Procedure to register an NPO
There is a specific registration process to follow in order to register an NPO
In a crèche scenario, how many caregivers should there be for the number of children in a class?
According to the Department of Social Welfare, to operate a basic crèche you must have a minimum of three staff members per class.
In South African childcare centres, the staff to child ratio for 0-2-year-olds in an ideal situation is one caregiver to every five children, 1:5. For 2-3-year-olds, the ratio is 1:10.
However, according to the Department of Social Welfare, to operate a basic crèche you must have a minimum of three staff members per class and you can employ more if the business can afford it. However, it is best to contact the municipal office in your area and check the regulations as each municipality has different regulations.