Rule 1: Locations
A Creche should be located within 50 metres of every of establishment where 20 or more women are ordinarily employed as contract labour. While the Creche should be conveniently accessible to the mothers of the children accommodate therein, it should not be situated in close proximity to an establishment where obnoxious fumes, dust or odours are given off or in which excessively noisy processes are carried on.
Rule 2: Building
(i) The Creche building should be constructed of heat-resistant materials and should be rain-proof.
(ii) While in towns it may be built of brick walls with cement or lime plaster, in rural areas it may be built of mud walls with mud plaster. In either case, the flooring and the walls up to the height of 3 ft. should have cement surface.
(iii) The height of the rooms should be not less than 10ft from the floor to the lowest part of the roof.
(iv) The rooms should be provided with necessary doors and windows for securing and maintaining adequate light and ventilation by free flow of air.
(v) The building should be periodically inspected in order to see that it is safe and is being maintained under sanitary conditions.
(vi) The Creche will be kept open at all times both by day and night, when women employees are working.
Rule 3: Accommodation
(i) Accommodation in the Creche should be on a scale of at least 20 sq. ft. of floor area per child.
(ii) There should be a shady open air playground suitably fenced for older children.
Rule 4: Amenities
(i) Cool and wholesome drinking water should be available for the children and the staff of the Creche. Children below 2 years of age should be fed with at least 1/2 pint of pure milk per child day . Children above 2 years of age should be given wholesome refreshments.
(ii) Convenient and suitable arrangements. should be made for the working mothers to feed their children below 2 years of age during the intervals.
(iii) There shall be a kitchen attached to the Creche with utensils and other facilities for boiling milk and preparing refreshments, etc.
(iv) The children as well as the staff of the Creche should be provided with suitable uniforms for wear at the Creche.
(v) There should be a suitable bathroom adjoining the Creche for the washing of the children and for changing their clothes. Wash- basins or similar vessels should also be provided at the rate of one for every four children. There should be arrangements for supply of water at the rate of 5 gallons per child per day. Adequate supply of clean towels and soap should be available at the Creche.
(vi) Adjoining the bathroom there shall be a latrine for the exclusive use of the children in the Creche. The number of seats in the latrine shall be at the rate of one for every 15 children . Separate latrines should be maintained for the use of mothers and Creche staff at a distance of not less than 50 ft from the Creche.
Rule 5: Equipment
The Creche should have the following equipment at the rate of one for each child-
(i) Cradles or cots.
(ii) Beds or mattresses.
(iii) Cotton sheets.
(iv) Rubber sheets (for children below 3 years).
(v) Blankets.
(vi) Pillow with covers.
Rule 6: Staff
Every Creche should be in the charge of a woman with midwifery qualification or training as Creche attendant. Where the number of children exceeds ten. the Creche attendant should be assisted by female ayahs at the rate of one ayah-
(a) for every 5 children up to there years;
(b) for every 10 children up to three years; and
(c) for every 15 children of over 3 years of age.
The ayahs should not be less than 30 years of age and should have knowledge and training in the handling of children.
Rule 7: Working hours
The working hours of the Creche should correspond to the working hours of the mothers. It may have to work in two shifts if the women are employed in two or more shifts, spread over a period exceeding 8 hours a day. Where the Creche works in shifts, different staff should be employed to work in the two shifts.
Rule 8: Medical attention
(i) The Creche should have first-aid equipment kept in proper condition.
(ii) Every child should be medically examined before admission, There should be medical check-up of the children once a month and their weight recorded once a month.
(iii) A record of the periodical medical check-up and weighment should be entered in the record of medical examination of each child kept at the Creche.
Rule 9: Maintenance of records
The Creche should maintain the following records up-to-date-
(i) Records of Medical Examination of children, From "A" .
(ii) Attendance Register of children, in Form "B" .
Rule 10: Inspection of Creche
A Creche may be inspected at any time by an Inspector under the Act or any other officer authorised by the Central Government for the purpose.
