A nine-month-boy suffered from a second-degree burns during diaper changing at Learning Vision @ Vista Point in Woodlands on 19 August, stated the New Paper.
The carer was intended to rinse his buttock during diaper changing time, not knowingly that the water was hot. Therefore, it burned the boy’s buttocks and thighs that he might require undergoing a plastic surgery.
“We want to express our heartfelt apologies to the parents of the infant who was scalded at the Learning Vision childcare centre,” said Mr Ronald Kwong, the director of operations of Busy Bees Asia, the operator of Learning Vision, confirmed the incident.
Mr Kwong said there 22 Learning Vision centres, among those only two were fitted with a water tank heater system, Vista Point was one of them. He said that he understood that heater system should not have been fitted and this had rectified them.
Mr Kwong stated that in the childcare, the carer was assisted 4 children at the time of the accident and that the carer was receiving additional help from another carer who has worked in other childcare centres.
He said, “Having relief carers is not a common occurrence at Learning Vision centres. We have reviewed and tightened our standard operating procedures.” Mr Kwong said.
TNP had called the boy’s mother who declined to respond to the queries as she has hired a lawyer to seek compensation for the incident.
Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) stated that it was aware such accident happen. However, it declined to comment on the issue since police investigations are still ongoing. The spokesman only said that it has been working with the centre to ensure the safety and well-being of the other children at the centre.
Vista Point Woodlands is located at Blk 548 Woodlands Drive 44. It offers infant care and childcare services for children aged 2 months to 6 years.
At this centre, parents are required to pay as much as $2,000 for full day care, or $1,600 for half day care monthly for infants. While parents have to spend $1,200 for full day care, or $960 for half day care monthly for toddlers to kindergarten.
Nowadays, most parents need to go to work to earn enough to pay for expenses. This means that they have no choice but to send their children to childcare centre, as hiring babysitters to accompany their children at home is even more expensive than sending them to childcare centres. One of the websites which offers babysitter service ask for $1,800-$2,500 a month to babysit at the employer’s home, and parents need to provide the meals for the babysitters.
