MOTHERS’ PERCEPTION ABOUT THE SAFETY OF CRÈCHES FOR THEIR CHILDREN

Abstract

There is an increasing demand for Crèche and day care schools in urban centres in Nigeria because the number of full-time housewives is on a rapid decline. More mothers who would otherwise stay at home and look after their babies now work at a paid job or run their own small business to augment the family income. As a result, many households now view crèches as a matter of importance and not of convenience. This study therefore investigates mothers’ views about the safety of their children in crèches. The descriptive survey research design was adopted. The sample comprises of ninety one parents who patronise some randomly selected crèches in Abeokuta metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria. A questionnaire tagged ‘Mothers’ Perception of Crèche Questionnaire (MPCQ)’ with Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.816 was used for data collection. The data collected was analysed using percentages, means and analysis of variance (at .05 level of significance). Majority of the sampled parents reported that there were unpleasant incidences (such as health challenges and injuries) at some crèches but they still had to keep their babies there while at work; while others reported incidences of missing babies in some crèches. It was recommended that more crèches which are healthy, safe, adequately staffed, easily accessible and affordable should be provided for working mothers to keep their babies while at work. Also, the conditions required to be met in order for crèches to be licensed should be reviewed and enforced for the safety of the babies, while unlicensed ones should be closed down.