Changes are coming to the rules of kindergartens: new permits and prohibitions

The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has approved new sanitary standards for preschool educational institutions. The updates stipulate requirements for furniture, space organization, hygiene standards, cleaning, and child safety. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Education and Science Anastasia Konovalova.

From now on, furniture and equipment in kindergartens must be appropriate to children’s ages and heights. Dangerous objects must be stored out of reach of toddlers, and ample cabinets and shelves must be securely fastened. The use of faulty furniture is prohibited.

The surfaces on which children play must withstand regular wet cleaning. The use of furniture with adjustable height is allowed in groups.

Additional rules have been introduced for the early development of the child, such as:
– organization of places for changing clothes;
– separate cabinets for storing personal belongings;
– fences for crawling;
– Regulation of the use of screens, televisions, and interactive boards with observance of appropriate distances and heights.

Children’s bedding and personal belongings should be labeled and stored separately. Bedding should be changed at least once a week, and mattresses and blankets should be steam- or dry-cleaned once a year. Beds should be placed at least 20 cm away from radiators.

The regulations provide for precise cleaning requirements:
– daily wet cleaning of all rooms;
– twice-daily wet cleaning in groups for children under 1.5 years old;
– general cleaning once a week;
– monthly disinfection;
– daily vacuuming or washing of carpets.

In sanitary rooms, each child should have an individual towel and toilet seat. Potties are cleaned after each use, and the floor after each visit. Toilet seats are disinfected daily.

Before using new toys, they should be washed, and then cleaned with warm water and soap or soda as needed.

During epidemic restrictions, premises should be disinfected only when children are not present. Toilets should be cleaned twice a day.

In addition, in kindergartens, it is forbidden to carry out significant repairs in premises where children are. Wi-Fi routers should be installed at least 2 meters above ground level and not in rooms where children are present. All cleaning products should be stored out of reach of children, and to prevent insect infestations, it is recommended to install mosquito nets.