New CCTV policy in nurseries to bolster child protection: CISJ

Starting in the third quarter of 2025, nurseries across Macau – including Creche Internacional de São José (CISJ) – will be required to install CCTV cameras in sensitive but public areas as part of a government initiative to enhance child safety.

In early May, the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) announced the new mandate after consulting with the Personal Data Protection Bureau (DSPDP). The policy aims to strike a careful balance between increased surveillance and privacy protections in early childhood settings.

Speaking to the Times, Nair Cardoso, director of CISJ, expressed support for the CCTV program, emphasizing the nursery’s commitment to transparency and safeguarding both children and staff. “We don’t mind having CCTV everywhere because it protects both staff and children,” she said.

The nursery director also emphasized that traditional methods of building trust are equally crucial – such as parent-teacher meetings and inviting parents to participate in classroom activities. Cardoso indicated that these methods may be sidelined if parents rely solely on surveillance footage.

Cardoso pointed out that in other nurseries with CCTV, such issues have already arisen, highlighting the need for the government to establish transparent policies on when and how parents can view recordings. “If not, it will be overused, and as an operator, it would stop everything we are doing – the amazing art, the amazing teaching – just to check CCTV, which can be very time-consuming and disruptive,” she added.

She also highlighted the challenges of interpreting surveillance footage in a play-based learning environment.]

“Depending on who is watching the CCTV, they might have another perspective,” Cardoso said. “For example, a teacher may step back to allow a child to take risks, learn negotiation, or reclaim a toy. But someone else might wonder, ‘Why didn’t the teacher jump in right away to help my child?’ It’s a very nuanced subject to judge.”

While she remains hopeful that ongoing research and consultations, including input from the University of Macau, will lead to effective strategies, Cardoso cautioned that implementing CCTV without clear rules could also be “dangerous.”

CISJ is a fully subsidized nursery serving 168 children aged one to three.

Policy details

The IAS policy, approved under Permit No. 01/A/2025/DSPDP, restricts cameras to public yet sensitive zones such as sleeping and activity areas. Private spaces like bathrooms are explicitly excluded to respect privacy laws.

The DSPDP mandates strict data security safeguards, including encryption, access controls, and regular audits.

In May, Wilson Hon, IAS president, emphasized the delicate balance between safety and privacy. “Complete surveillance – covering the likes of bathrooms – would not be universally accepted,” he said. In these instances, Hon recommended increasing staff levels to ensure supervision in areas not covered by CCTV surveillance.

Nurseries must notify parents in writing about CCTV installation and its purposes to ensure informed consent. Footage must avoid capturing children’s nudity, and monitors must not be publicly visible. Access to recordings is limited to authorized personnel and only permitted in cases of injury or suspected mistreatment, according to prior statements.