Quality Child Care Is in Need as Summer Vacation Comes

Anchor: Most Chinese schools close for their summer breaks in July. For households where both parents have to work, finding a quality childcare center has become a major concern. Our reporter Wang Ling finds more.

Reporter: Mrs. Di has been looking for a childcare center for her daughter in Beijing since last summer.

Although there are many such places in the city, very few of them are run by professionals.

"Whether the childcare center can offer quality education for my child and if the caretaker is professional in communicating with children are the major concerns."

Di finally chooses AiDe LiYe Training and Service Center for her daughter. She says she selected this childcare center because it is staffed by trained professionals from different institutes.

Li Ang, the center's chief, says finding quality caretakers is his most difficult task.

"It is different from working as a school teacher. You have to be working with each individual child in a different variety of conditions. Childcare demands professional knowledge, skills and qualifications to both take care of children's everyday needs and help them reach their potential."

Li Ang says China has yet to improve its administration and supervision of childcare providers.

He suggests more should be done to mobilize social and community resources to give parents higher quality childcare options.

Wang Ling, CRI news