IAS to conduct study on daycare center demand

The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) has commissioned the University of Macau’s (UM) Faculty of Education to conduct a survey on the demand for the services of daycare centers, as well as policy plans for these institutions.
The study will be conducted between February 22 and March 31. Interviewers will conduct home visits to collect data from the parents of infants and children aged six years and below, in order to understand their reasons for sending their children to daycare centers. The interviewers will also record participants’ opinions and expectations for future daycare policies.
The IAS said in a statement that to increase the rigor of the study the data would be collected via three different methods: a questionnaire, individual interviews and focus groups.
The IAS also stated that the government would be able to use the survey results as a reference for the development of daycare-related policies.
Selected households, which were chosen through stratified sampling, will receive letters from the UM before each visit. Interviewers can be recognized by their official identification cards and designated clothing. RM