The developmental conditions of “The Children’s Warehouses”: The unregulated daycare centers for children of migrant workers and asylum seekers in Israel

Yael Mayer, Michelle Slone

Research output: Book/ReportReport

Abstract

This report deals with the phenomenon of “children’s warehouses” named locally as the “babysitters” which are unregulated daycare centers, characterized by terrible conditions of neglect, for thousands of babies and toddlers with no status who belong to the community of migrant workers and asylum seekers in Israel. In this report, we present a research study of 47 unregulated daycare centers located in southern Tel Aviv. The aim of the study was to undertake the first systematical mapping of the phenomenon of the unregulated daycare centers belonging to the communities of migrant workers and refugees in Tel-Aviv-Yafo, to learn about the characteristics of the population that uses these frameworks, and to document the conditions in these frameworks. The nursery school teachers were interviewed and a number of observations were undertaken in each nursery school. Results of the study show that the unregulated daycare centers are characterized by difficult physical conditions and by a low level of standardization (ie. a high number of babies to each caretaker). Furthermore, we found serious safety defects and the lack of educational and developmental conditions appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers. The results of the study show that the existing conditions in the unregulated daycare centers put thousands of babies and toddlers at risk. These findings reflect a dire emergency situation that demands a holistic, comprehensive and immediate solution. Therefore, there is a need for immediate intervention of governmental offices, working together with municipal agencies and civil organizations, to correct the situation of the unregulated daycare centers and to save the babies placed in these frameworks.
Original languageEnglish
PublisherTel Aviv University, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychological Sciences
Number of pages69
StatePublished - Jan 2016

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