Supervision of Day Care Centres for Toddlers Law, 5779-2018

The purpose of this Law is to establish arrangements in respect of the operation of day care centres for toddlers, including their licensing and supervision, for the protection of the wellbeing, rights and dignity of toddlers staying at such centres, in order to promote their development, and in order to ensure the provision of suitable conditions, the prevention of harm to toddlers, an appropriate educational and care environment for such toddlers and the fulfilment of their physical, emotional, social and educational needs.

In this Law –

"examining body" means a corporation to which a permit has been granted under section 21;

"arrears fee" and "shekel interest" – as defined in the Interest and Linkage Law;

"permit to serve as an examining body" means a permit granted under section 21;

"criminal proceeding" – commencing with the opening of a criminal investigation under law;

"employment" – whether for remuneration or on a voluntary basis;

"the Committee" means a committee of the Knesset committees within whose subject matter this Law falls, as determined by the Knesset Committee and notified to the Knesset;

"appeals committee" means a committee established under section 56;

"Penal Law" means the Penal Law, 5737-1977;

"Compulsory Education Law" means the Compulsory Education Law, 5709-1949;

"Supervision of Day Care Centres Law" means the Supervision of Day Care Centres Law, 5725-1965;

"Interest and Linkage Law" means the Interest and Linkage Law, 5721-1961;

"education and care" means supervision of toddlers, including ensuring the existence of sanitary and nutritional conditions, as well as the fulfilment of physical, emotional, social and educational needs required to maintain the normal physical, intellectual and social development of the toddlers;

"child" means a person who, on 31 December of the school year, has reached the age of 36 months and upon whom compulsory education applies under the Compulsory Education Law;

"expert" means a person certified as an expert under the provisions of section 22;

"educator-carer" means a person who educates and cares for a toddler staying in a day care centre for toddlers;

"the Commissioner" means a Ministry employee appointed by the Director General of the Ministry for the purposes of this Law;

"the Director General" means the Director General of the Ministry;

"day care centre for toddlers" means a place in respect of which all of the following apply:

"inspector" means a person authorised by the Minister as an inspector under section 28;

"the Ministry" means the Ministry of Education;

"office holder" – as defined in the Companies Law, 5759-1999;

"toddler" means any of the following:

"at-risk toddler" – as its meaning in the At-Risk Toddlers (Right to Day Care Centre) Law, 5760-2000;

"operating licence", "licence" means a licence to operate a day care centre for toddlers granted under section 6;

"temporary licence" means a licence to operate a day care centre for toddlers granted under section 18;

"control" – as defined in the Securities Law, 5728-1968;

"the Minister" means the Minister of Education.

The Commissioner may refuse to grant an operating licence, for reasons to be communicated to the applicant, even if the conditions set out in section 6 are met, if the Commissioner is satisfied that one of the following applies:

If the Commissioner is satisfied that a condition set out in section 8(1) or (2) is met, the Commissioner may stay the decision in respect of the grant or renewal of an operating licence, as the case may be, until the conclusion of the criminal proceeding referred to in that section.

The validity of an operating licence granted to an applicant for the first time shall be for one year, and the Commissioner may renew its validity for an additional period of two years, thereafter for an additional period of three years and thereafter for additional periods not exceeding four years each; an operating licence granted to an applicant after the lapse of one year or more from the end of the period of validity of a previous operating licence granted to that applicant shall be treated for the purposes of this section as a licence granted to the applicant for the first time.

A holder of an operating licence shall display the operating licence in a conspicuous place at the day care centre for toddlers in respect of which the licence was granted.

A holder of an operating licence shall notify the Commissioner, in writing, of any change in a particular of the particulars provided in the application for an operating licence, within 30 days of the date of the change.

"employment" – including by a manpower contractor or a service contractor as defined in the Employment of Employees by Manpower Contractors Law, 5756-1996;

"provision of services" – including the operation of activities and clubs.

The Commissioner may permit the continued operation of a day care centre for toddlers whose operating licence has been revoked, after the date of revocation, for a period to be directed and subject to conditions to be prescribed, including its operation by another person, if the Commissioner is satisfied that this is necessary for the protection of the wellbeing or welfare of the toddlers staying at the day care centre for toddlers and having regard to the circumstances of the revocation; for this purpose, "revocation" – including suspension, non-renewal or expiry; a decision of the Commissioner under this section requires the approval of the Director General.