Regional govts urged to inspect daycare centers after abuse case

  Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno urged regional governments to inspect daycare centers nationwide after an alleged abuse case, calling for tighter oversight and reforms to prevent harm to children.

“We are also calling on regional governments to conduct inspections of daycare facilities in their respective areas,” he said after a ministerial-level meeting in Jakarta on Thursday.

The meeting discussed steps to improve service quality and governance at daycare centers following a recent alleged child abuse case at a facility in Yogyakarta.

Pratikno urged ministries, agencies, regional governments, the Indonesian Child Protection Commission, and civil society groups to coordinate efforts to prevent abuse, emphasizing shared responsibility across institutions and communities.

He said the meeting reviewed areas requiring improvement, including standardization, licensing, program integration, development of an integrated information system, field monitoring, and the introduction of incentives and disincentives.

“This ministerial meeting is not just a response to that specific case; more importantly, it is about improving quality assurance and governance moving forward,” he said.

The government plans to establish a task force to oversee reforms and strengthen supervision of daycare management across the country.

Thursday’s meeting was attended by Child Protection Commission Chair Aris Adi Leksono, Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Arifah Fauzi, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and Deputy Social Affairs Minister Agus Jabo Priyono.

Separately, the Ministry of Population and Family Development has launched a complaint and consultation service to address concerns over problematic daycare centers nationwide.

Speaking in Lebak, Banten, on Thursday, Minister Wihaji said complaints can be submitted through the ministry’s Family Facilitation Teams, which operate at community level to assist families.

Wihaji said the ministry has also developed a daycare network known as Child-Friendly Care Centers, with 3,200 units established nationwide.

The centers operate under strict standards and employ certified caregivers as part of efforts to ensure safer and higher-quality childcare services across Indonesia.