Creches públicas e privadas de Pelotas, RS: aderência à norma técnica

Abstract

Objectives

Seventy-seven day-care centers were evaluated in Pelotas, RS, Brazil, in 1996, in order to assess compliance with current service regulations.

Methods

Information about physical structure, facilities, equipment, hygiene practices, and day-care staff was collected through a structured questionnaire.

Results

The median number of children in public day-care centers was 89 children per center, while in the private centers the median was 29 children per center (p<0.001). A nursery was available in 88% of public day-care centers, and in 36% of the private centers (p<0.001). Concerning the physical structure, the majority of the public centers had exclusive toilet facilities for the children (91%), while this was the case in only 66% of the private centers (p<0.001). Fire extinguishers were found in public centers in a proportion three times higher than in the private centers. Proper bottle washing and refrigeration was done in 95% of the day-care centers studied, while sterilization of the bottles was reported in only 47% of the centers. Despite the fact of 85% of the centers kept records with health information on the children, 93% of the centers did not have the required health license provided by the municipal authority.

Conclusions

There is a good deal of work to do in both private and public day-care centers in order for them to comply with the current service regulations.

Resumen

Objetivo

Foram avaliadas 77 creches em Pelotas, RS, no ano de 1996, com o intuito de se verificar a aderência à normatização em vigor.

Métodos

Através de um questionário estruturado foram coletadas informações sobre o ambiente físico, equipamentos, práticas de higiene e pessoal encarregado do cuidado das crianças.

Resultados

As creches públicas apresentaram um número médio de crianças matriculadas de 89 crianças por creche, enquanto que as creches privadas tinham 29 crianças por creche (p<0,001). Em contraste, 88% das creches públicas dispunham de berçário contra 36% das privadas (p<0,001).

Conclusão

Existe muito trabalho a ser feito para se conseguir que a grande maioria das creches, públicas e privadas, atenda às recomendações da normatização em vigor.