Social Affairs Minister urges public to monitor social institutions and childcare services

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf has invited active public participation in monitoring the operations of social welfare institutions (LKS), orphanages, and childcare or day care services in their respective communities to ensure public service standards are met. In a statement received in Jakarta on Monday, Saifullah said that joint supervision between the government and society is necessary so that institutions serving the elderly, people with disabilities, and children are managed professionally. “In addition to government oversight, we are opening opportunities for the public to participate in monitoring so that all operating institutions run according to regulations,” said the man familiarly known as Gus Ipul during the Thanksgiving for the 62nd Community Service Day in Tangerang, Banten. The event, themed “Community Service Real Work for Excellent Service”, also serves as a momentum to strengthen synergy among ministries and state institutions in supporting social guidance and improving public welfare on a broad scale. This is evidenced by the Social Affairs Minister signing memoranda of understanding (MoUs) across ministries and institutions to tighten supervision of social service institutions. Saifullah emphasised that services like day care, which are now a mainstay of hope for the public to obtain good childcare, make meeting procedural standards non-negotiable. In this regard, the main strategy promoted by the Ministry of Social Affairs is to encourage every institution to have accreditation, both in terms of human resource quality, governance, and facilities. “This is our homework. We want to work together with local governments to review various existing permits, conduct assessments, and encourage them to obtain accreditation,” he said. Currently, the Ministry of Social Affairs is consolidating data with local governments to comb through institutions that do not yet meet regulations and ensure strict sanctions will be imposed in accordance with provisions if violations are found in those institutions. Saifullah affirmed that to create a safe and quality social protection system for vulnerable groups in Indonesia, cross-sectoral synergy and proportional public involvement are needed.