Checking system for childcare givers ready by March

KUALA LUMPUR: The “Working With Children Check”, a comprehensive checking system for those who work with children, is expected to be ready by March.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the system would allow childcare providers to check an applicant’s record prior to employment.

“We hope that it will reduce child abuse involving children,” she said after launching Removing Obstacles to Cervical Screening, an innovation by Universiti Malaya and VCS Foundation of Australia.

Dr Wan Azizah, who is women, family and community development minister, said the recent child abuse case in Sibu was a tragedy.

In the incident, 9-month-old Aariz Harraz Zahin Azman from Sibu succumbed to injuries believed caused by his babysitter.

Last year, Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh told the Dewan Rakyat that the ministry was developing a comprehensive checking system to allow parents, schools and childcare centres to check on employees to ensure that people with criminal records did not work in child-related industries.

Dr Wan Azizah also called on parents to perform background checks before sending their children to babysitters.

“I know that in certain circumstances, we cannot really choose, but we have to be selective.”

Dr Wan Azizah said Malaysia fell far below the World Health Organisation (WHO) target when it came to cervical screening.

She said Malaysia achieved a rate of 12.8 per cent, a far cry from WHO’s target of 70 per cent.

“Prevention is the key to stop cervical cancer, but the challenge is getting women to come forward to be screened.

“Only 24 per cent of Malaysian women were diagnosed at the early stage, or Stage 1, while 76 per cent were diagnosed at later stages.”