LOCATION OF CHILDCARE CENTRES IN PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL ESTATES

Abstract

Over the past few decades, more married women entered the labour market, which has significant implications on family and other aspects of life, including the demand for childcare arrangements. There has been a rising demand for childcare centres in private residential estates. The objective of this study is to understand the factors private operators would take into consideration before selecting an appropriate site to operate their business. A survey in the form of a questionnaire requesting the respondents to rank the factors and problems in terms of their influence on site selection is carried out. A case study is also conducted on one of the child care centres in landed premises to gain a deeper understanding. We find that potential operators place high emphasis on the wide coverage of the catchment area for the selected site. The physical environment is another highly influencing factor. Safety of the site and rental costs are other critical factors that have to be considered. From the perspective of the childcare business, operators are required to comply with certain regulatory measures imposed by the various government authorities. Although these requirements do not pose much difficulty in the process of application, most operators still encounter certain location related problems. One proposal is to allow childcare centres to be set up in primary schools. This would help cut down time and effort in finding a suitable site.