Daycare cameras await privacy guidelines

The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) has reached an agreement with daycare centers on installing surveillance cameras but is awaiting privacy guidelines, an official has said.

Speaking to reporters recently, IAS director Hon Wai said meetings with facilities have built consensus for installing cameras after a four-month-old’s death at a Taipa nursery in October.

But operational details must respect privacy, Hon added.

“Cameras must observe special situations, but privacy of the children must also be ensured,” Hon said as cited in a TDM report.

“Under what circumstances can cameras be turned on? We reached some consensus but need solutions if parents disagree.”

The shuttered nursery’s space has been returned, though low local birth rates have authorities considering reuse for daycare.

Privacy guidelines from the Office for Personal Data Protection are needed before camera use is finalized.

Following the death of the infant at the Fong Chong Nursery, lawmakers have called for the government to review and amend regulations governing nursery facilities in Macau.

Lawmakers have highlighted concerns that the child-to-caretaker ratio in Macau’s childcare facilities is much higher than the global average and exceeds that of neighboring regions, resulting in inadequate care and attention to the children. Staff Reporter