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Under the Bill, a person would be prohibited from acting as a childminder if he or she has been convicted of any specified serious offences which would pose a risk of exposing the child being minded to abuse.
The Director of Social Welfare (DSW) will also be empowered to determine a person to be unsuitable to act as a childminder on the basis of the findings of a coroner's inquiry concerning the death of a child while in his or her care as a childminder.
However, the Bill allows the person concerned to make written representations to DSW and be given a right of an appeal against DSW's determination to the Administrative Appeals Board.
A childminder may also request DSW to issue a certificate verifying that he or she is not prohibited from childminding. Parents can ask a potential childminder to show them the certificate to assist them to assess his/her suitability to look after their child.
The Bill further proposes to exempt mutual help child care centres from the full set of requirements under the Ordinance.
"By making it easier for mutual help child care centres to operate, we aim to facilitate their formation and operation since they play a key role in addressing the problem of children left unattended at home," the spokesman said.
There are also a number of technical amendments aimed at improving the quality of care provided for children in child care centres.
The Social Welfare Advisory Committee and the Legislative Council Panel on Welfare Services have expressed support for the proposed amendments.
The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council on June 26.
End
Bus drivers soon be required to wear seat belts
The Government is to impose compulsory requirements for buses to be fitted with safety belts on the driver's seats and bus drivers to wear them.
An amendment regulation stipulating the requirements will be gazetted on Friday (June 14) and will come into operation from July 1, 1997.