Image: World Bank / Alana Holmberg. TACKLING CHILDCARE: The Business Case for Employer-Supported Childcare in Fiji May 2019 AN INITIATIVE OF THE FIJI PARTNERSHIP 2 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This publication was produced by IFC under the overall guidance of Henriette Kolb, Head of IFC’s Gender Secretariat. The report was written by Sarah Twigg, IFC Gender Operations Officer, Lilika Fusimalohi, IFC Gender Program Coordinator Fiji, and Nhung Nguyen IFC Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant, under the leadership of Amy Luinstra, IFC Gender Lead in East Asia and the Pacific, with contributions from Rudaba Nasir, Ellen Maynes and Shabnam Hammeed. IFC would like to thank the seven Fiji private sector businesses for participating in the study and the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation and the Ministry of DISCLAIMER Economy for facilitating the survey for the public sector. The team would like to thank Thomas Jacobs, IFC IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity Country Manager in the Pacific, Deva De Silva, IFC Fiji for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We Representative, Camille Annette Funnell, IFC Deputy Head of foster sustainable economic growth in developing countries Communications in East Asia and the Pacific and Mia Cusack, by supporting private sector development, mobilizing private Communications Consultant, for all their help and inputs. capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to The team would also like to acknowledge Roshika Deo, Iris businesses and governments. This report was commissioned by Low-Mckenzie, CEO Save the Children Fiji, and Monica IFC through its Gender Program in East Asia and the Pacific. Waqanisau, Pacific Women Support Unit Gender Coordinator, The conclusions and judgments contained in this report should for their input on the broader childcare landscape in Fiji. not be attributed to, and do not necessarily represent the IFC’s work in Fiji is guided by the Fiji Partnership. Australia views of IFC or its Board of Directors or the World Bank or and IFC are working together through the Partnership to its Executive Directors, or the countries they represent. IFC stimulate private sector investment and reduce poverty in Fiji. and the World Bank do not guarantee the accuracy of the data in this publication and accept no responsibility for any Many thanks to Jason Chute of Lumen Films for the photos consequences of their use. and to Mark Lindop for designing the report. TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 3 Contents Executive Summary 4 1 Introduction 9 Study Methodology 10 Private Sector 10 Public Sector 11 2 Impacts of Child Care Responsibilities on Private Sector Employees 13 Findings 13 Employer responses 20 3 Impacts of Child Care Responsibilities on Public Sector Employees 23 Findings 23 4 The Childcare Landscape in Fiji 27 5 Priorities for Action 31 Recommendations for Business 31 Recommendations for Government 35 Recommendations for Others 36 6 Conclusion 39 Annex A Calculating Cost to Business 40 Annex B Fiji Regulatory Landscape 45 4 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI Executive Summary This study demonstrates the need and appetite for affordable, IFC undertook a study of employees from both the private and accessible and quality childcare services among working parents in public sectors. Seven private sector companies participated in the Fiji. Each year, businesses and the public sector in Fiji are losing an survey, representing Fiji’s key industries. Collectively these seven average of 12.7 workdays per employee due to the responsibilities companies employed 4461 employees as of December 2018. The of working parents. Absenteeism, lateness, low productivity, study also covered all Government Ministries, representing 33,776 distraction, exhaustion and stress – this is the struggle of juggling employees. A total of 2777 staff from the private sector (1775 work and being a parent in a country where childcare options for survey respondents) and public sector (1002 survey respondents) children aged zero to five are limited, unregulated and inaccessible completed the staff survey. to most of the population. This study clearly demonstrates that childcare responsibilities As the population in urban centres rise, so too does the need for are having significant impacts on mothers and fathers and their better support for parents. Increasingly distanced from traditional ability to consistently perform at work and focus on their job. village and family support structures, working parents are seeking The challenge of working and raising children in Fiji affects the reliable alternatives to entrust with their child’s care. Despite one choices they make about the type of work they do; the career in 10 Fijians being under the age of five, only a small minority of goals they aspire to achieve; the hours they work and whether working parents in Fiji currently use a childcare service and services they stay in the workforce at all. Impacts are significantly higher that do exist are largely unregulated. The lack of available and for women who are often the primary caregiver for children. This affordable childcare services is failing to meet the growing demands poses a key constraint on women’s participation and re-entry of families and this also has consequences for employers. into the workforce, which is already a challenge in Fiji with just 37 percent of women formally employed in Fiji, compared to 72 The aim of this study was to assess the childcare needs of workers percent of men1. across Fiji’s private and public sectors and to determine the extent to which childcare responsibilities impact their ability to stay employed, come to work regularly, and work to their full potential. Based on those findings, and on global evidence on the Employers are losing 12.7 workdays business case for employer-supported childcare, the study provides recommendations for Fijian businesses and the Fijian Government per employee each year due for how to better support the needs of working parents. to childcare responsibilities Childcare is a development priority for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) given the many benefits it can generate for children, working parents and business. This work is part of a global initiative on employer-supported childcare that grew out of IFC’s 2017 report Tackling Childcare: the Business Case for Employer Supported Childcare. That report demonstrated, through global evidence and case studies from ten countries, the benefits that can accrue to businesses when they support the childcare needs of their workforce. 1 https://tradingeconomics.com/fiji/employment-to-population-ratio-15-plus--female-percent-wb-data.html TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 5 KEY FINDINGS FROM THE STUDY INCLUDE: • Almost three-quarters of parents in the private sector and over half of those in the public sector said they would make use of a • Only right percent of parents with pre-school age children childcare center if one was available, provided it was of a high included in this study use a childcare service. The majority rely quality, affordable, and accessible. on spouses or partners, other family members or unqualified • Parents identified potential benefits of having access to childcare babysitters to care for children while they attend paid work. services ranging from increased ability to concentrate at work • IFC estimates suggest that across the seven private sector and reduced stress and anxiety, through to better education, businesses, an average of 4.6 percent of work days are lost every nutrition and health outcomes for their children. four weeks due to staff being late, absent or distracted due to • Formal childcare options are limited in Fiji. There are currently childcare responsibilities. This equates to 11.1 lost workdays per no regulations covering the provision of services to children employee every year. below age five and there is limited oversight or monitoring of the • The cost to business associated with this lost staff time ranges childcare services currently available. from $89,000 Fijian dollars (USD$41,000) to $844,000 Fijian Based on these findings, this study demonstrates the business case dollars (USD$390,000) per year, depending on average staff for employer-supported childcare and outlines a range of possible salaries and the company’s size. On average, lost staff time due actions for employers, the government and other stakeholders to to childcare responsibilities is costing employers as much as support working parents in Fiji. $550,000 Fijian dollars (USD$254,000) a year in total or $1,000 Fijian dollars USD$460) per employee2. • For employers this includes having a range of options available • Impacts in the public sector are significantly higher than in the that parents can access to best suit their needs. This can range private sector, with an average of 6.4 percent of work days lost from flexible work options and making appropriate workplace every four weeks, or the equivalent of 15.4 work days lost per adjustments, through to an on-site childcare center if employee employee each year due to childcare responsibilities. demand and business need warrants it. • The challenges of juggling paid employment and childcare are • For the government an important first step will be to establish a particularly acute for new mothers when they return to the coherent policy and regulatory framework to ensure all childcare workforce after having a child. One hundred and thirty women services in Fiji are safe, of a high standard and accessible to from across the seven companies went on maternity leave everyday Fijians. during the 12 months preceding the survey, with an average of • Collaboration is key. Options for the public and the private 21 percent leaving their employment within twelve months of sector to work together to increase the provision of childcare returning. This reflects a significant loss to those businesses as services should be explored to ensure sustainability and quality well as to the women and their families. of services. • These findings come at a significant cost to employers – both There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to childcare but public and private sector - in terms of lost productivity, high rates collaboration between government and private sector can and have of absenteeism and turnover and challenges in recruiting skilled yielded sustainable results and a range of benefits in other countries employees. Ultimately, it impacts their bottom line. and Fiji has the potential to achieve the same.   2 Average loss calculated from data provided by four participating companies 6 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI This study was carried out with Government Ministries and across seven private sector companies in key sectors in Fiji. Our thanks to the Government of Fiji and these participating companies Fiji National Provident Fund Grand Pacific Hotel Magi Enterprises Fiji Mindpearl Fiji RCL Services Vinod Patel Group Westpac Bank Fiji TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 7 Image: World Bank / Alana Holmberg. 8 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 9 1. Introduction By improving private sector working conditions in developing their ability to participate in the workforce, their productivity at countries such as Fiji, IFC can help countries support a skilled work and their career progression. This is particularly true for workforce, drive gender diversity and increase labor force women as they are more likely than men to take on most childcare participation among women. This in turn helps increase overall responsibilities. Reducing women’s care responsibilities through business growth. To achieve sustainable growth, we must take a increasing access to quality childcare services could be a major holistic approach to identify the key constraints and opportunities driver for women’s participation in paid employment in Fiji. that exist in these markets. Currently very few employers in Fiji offer any type of childcare Childcare is a development priority for the IFC because of the many support. Nor do they have access to information on what they can benefits it can generate. IFC’s work globally on employer-supported do to support parents or how their company might benefit from childcare has shown that childcare can be a win-win solution doing so. By offering a range of childcare supports, employers can for employees, companies and economies. It has also highlighted expect to experience a range of benefits. These include reduced lessons for helping companies and employees get the most out of absenteeism and turnover among workers with young children, any childcare intervention. enhanced employee concentration, motivation and productivity, improved ability to recruit, and improved outcomes for children. In August 2018, IFC launched an initiative to explore how Employers should view the issue of caregiving through the lens of employer-supported childcare solutions could benefit employers and talent management, rather than as another potentially expensive employees in Fiji. This initiative grew out of IFC’s 2017 Tackling benefit. Childcare: the Business Case for Employer-Supported Childcare3 report, which demonstrated, through global research and case It is worth noting that children also stand to benefit from greater studies from ten countries, that a lack of quality and affordable access to quality childcare. Evidence suggests that a child’s first childcare for employees can translate into higher turnover, three years are fundamental to their optimal health, growth and absenteeism, and lower productivity. It can also lead to difficulties brain development. Early stimulation and interaction with parents in recruiting skilled employees. and qualified caregivers can be the first step towards a lifetime of learning and developing into productive adults. IFC’s 2018 The Business Case for Employer-Supported Childcare in Sri Lanka4 report further demonstrated the benefits of supporting For the Fiji Government there are also strong motivators for the childcare needs of staff across 10 companies in Sri Lanka. action. As the largest employer in Fiji, the public sector stands to The study found that childcare and early childhood programs are reap significant gains in productivity and staff morale through the critical to economic development going forward. provision of childcare services for its workforce. Having made recent strides in supporting working parents, through increasing This report presents the findings and recommendations of this paid maternity leave from 84 to 98 days, introducing five days paid initiative undertaken in Fiji and provides a compelling case for paternity Leave, and five days of paid Family Leave5, the time is employer-supported childcare as a catalyst for many benefits to right to modernize their policy framework to set the standard of business, government, families and the broader economy. childcare service and safety that parents will be comfortable with. Global evidence shows that poor access to quality childcare poses There are also important gains for the human and economic a key constraint on labor force participation of parents. Limited development of Fiji as a whole. Policies, programmes and other access to reliable childcare options affects the choices parents make, support that enables parents and caregivers to provide the best 3 IFC’s 2017. Tackling Childcare: the Business Case for Employer-Supported Childcare 4 IFC 2018. The business Case for Employer-supported Childcare in Sri Lanka 5 Pursuant to the Employment Relations (Budget Amendment) Act 2018 10 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI start in life for their children pay off in healthier, better educated Study Methodology children, a better equipped workforce and more sustainable growth6. Private Sector Seven companies, collectively employing 4461 workers, participated This report demonstrates that there is a strong business rationale in the study. Participating companies were Fiji National Provident for employers in Fiji to provide support to working parents. The Fund; Grand Pacific Hotel; Magi Fiji: Manufacturer for Kookai; report examines the types of childcare support working parents Mindpearl Fiji; Recoveries Corporation Limited; Vinod Patel; and in Fiji’s private and public sectors currently use, with a focus Westpac Bank Fiji. These companies were selected based on their on pre-school age children (i.e. age five and below). The report commitment to supporting working parents and their willingness demonstrates how these current arrangements impact parents’ to contribute staff time to participate in the study. A deliberate attendance and performance at work, and the impact this has attempt was also made to ensure most of Fiji’s key sectors were on productivity. Finally, the report identifies opportunities for represented, including banking and finance; back office processing; increasing the supply of formal childcare services in Fiji and garment manufacturing; hotels; and retail. identifies a range of potential responses available to employers to help support the childcare needs of their workforce. The private sector study employed a mixed method approach, using the following three data sources: 1. Human-resources data from each of the seven companies relating to employee demographics, absenteeism, turnover, and A child’s first three years uptake of parental leave; are fundamental to their 2. Employee survey completed by 1775 employees across the seven companies. The survey was conducted during November and optimal health, growth December 2018; and and brain development. 3. Focus group discussions with mothers and fathers at each of the seven companies. A total of 28 focus group discussions were held across the seven companies, with 154 women and 81 men. Figure 1 - Share of Female and Male Respondents (private sector) 63% Female 37% Male 6 https://www.unicef.org/earlychildhood/index_100863.html TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 11 Of the 1775 private sector survey respondents, 63 percent were Public Sector female and 36 percent male (Figure 1). This is slightly higher than The same staff survey that was conducted across the seven private the average female / male population across the companies – of sector companies was also made available to all public sector the total 4461 employees, 54 percent are female and 46 percent employees with access to a government email address (approximately male. This is also different to Fiji’s general population, which 7,500 employees out of a total employee base of 33,776). Focus is approximately 49 percent women and 51 percent men7. Most groups were not conducted with public sector employees. respondents were aged between 25 – 34 (46 percent), followed by 35 – 44 years old (25 percent) and 18 – 24 years old (15 percent). One thousand and two (1002) public sector employees responded to the survey between December 2018 and March 2019. Of those Two-thirds of survey respondents (68 percent) have dependent who responded, 69 percent were female and 31 percent male. children and 41 percent of all respondents have pre-school age More than 90 percent of respondents have dependent children children (Figure 2). This equates to 728 survey respondents with or are planning children in the near future, and 46 percent of all pre-school age children (aged zero to five). The results presented in respondents have pre-school age children (Figure 11). On average this report reflect responses from this group of employees, as they respondents in the public sector survey have more children than are presumed to be the most impacted by childcare responsibilities. those in the private sector – with 2.6 children per respondent compared to 2.1 children among private sector respondents. Figure 2 - Share of private sector survey respondents Figure 3 - Share of public sector respondents with dependent children with dependent children Pregnant or planning children NO NO % 6% % % YES 68% YES Pregnant 8 % or planning children 41% of respondents have pre-school age children 46% of respondents have pre-school age children 7 Fiji Bureau of Statistics, 2017 Census Results 12 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI “ I haven’t progressed in my career path since I had kids, because there is so much time I have to devote to my kids’ safety and development” Artika Lal - mother of two Credit Assistant Westpac Bank Fiji TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 13 2. Impacts of Child Care Responsibilities on Private Sector Employees Findings - Accessibility and availability. Several parents noted that there are no childcare centers near their home or work, or that the centers Existing Childcare Arrangements which exist do not operate during hours which align with work Few families (5 percent) report using formal childcare services hours. Others noted that some centers have restrictive entrance for their pre-school aged children while they are at work. Most criteria, which excludes children younger than 2 or those who children (75 percent) are looked after in their own home. One- can’t ‘walk and talk’. fifth (22 percent) of pre-school aged children are looked after by - Lack of awareness. Among some parents there was low a spouse, partner or the children’s other parent and over half (55 awareness of what kinds of service a childcare center provides or percent) by another family member (Figure 3). whether any were available in their area. When asked why so few parents use formal childcare services, - Lack of trust. Related to the concerns around quality of care and parents expressed a wide range of reasons. These included: low awareness of what childcare centers offer, parents expressed a lack of trust in having a ‘stranger’ care for their children and - Too expensive. One worker noted “childcare centers are a choice a widespread perception that children are safer at home with for the rich.” By contrast many reported they don’t pay their family members. This perception is perpetuated through word of family caregiver or, if they do, it’s in the form of groceries or mouth from colleagues who have had negative experiences using other in-kind forms of payment. a childcare center. - Quality of care. Many parents raised concerns about the quality - Disability. Parents also noted that for children with a disability, it of care offered in formal daycare centers. This included concerns can be particularly difficult to find any form of specialized care or that staff do not have adequate training, high children to staff support. ratio, the buildings, facilities and programs are very poor quality, One hundred and thirty (130) women from across the seven and childcare centers not following adequate hygiene, safety or companies went on maternity leave during the 12 months preceding nutritional practices. the survey. At the time this study was conducted, employers Figure 4 - Current care arrangements for pre-school children (private sector) Other <1 % Daycare or kindergarten 5% Babysittter 17 % (non-family member) Spouse/partner/the child/ 22 % children's other parent Other family member 55 % 14 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI were required to provide 84 days of maternity leave. Most of the - Poor communication between parents and caregivers is common companies provided the statutory minimum only. On average 21 and leads to lack of trust. percent of women who went on maternity leave left employment within twelve months of returning – ranging from none at one - Family or other babysitters can be unreliable and don’t always company, to almost half (43 percent) at another. This suggests that show up regularly or on time. many women find it difficult to balance the competing demands of - The high levels of child abuse in Fiji8 affect perceptions and work and childcare, particularly in the early years of a child’s life. can lead to parents being worried about their children’s safety or doubting their current arrangement, even where there is no Satisfaction with Arrangements evidence to suggest their child is at risk. Forty percent of parents with pre-school age children report being very satisfied with their current childcare arrangements, while one - Many parents raised concerns about lack of knowledge related in ten are somewhat or very dissatisfied. Just over half (53 percent) to nutrition among caregivers, noting things like “babysitter and report that their children are well cared for, while 41 percent said caregiver think that baby should eat what they eat and fail to give they are well cared for only some of the time. Parents noted a range special food to children.” This reflects a wider concern common of concerns with their current arrangements. Two-thirds of parents among parents related to the low level of skills, education and noted concerns for their children’s safety and slightly more than training among most caregivers, including family members. half (54 percent) noted concerns about their children’s nutrition - Exposure to alcohol or drugs when children are home with and health (Figure 5). While parents generally report being satisfied relatives was also expressed as a concern. with current arrangements, most experience a range of concerns. Few parents report having reliable back-up arrangements if their During focus group discussions, parents elaborated further on these regular childcare falls through or if their child is sick, with little concerns. These include: difference between women and men. This is a major contributor to care-related absenteeism. Almost half of parents (45 percent) Figure 5 - Concerns with current childcare arrangements (private sector) Other concern 0.4 % Price is too high 8% Challenges with 14 % continuing breastfeeding Childs health 54 % Childs nutrition 54 % Childs safety 65 % 8 The 2008 UNICEF Baseline Report for creating a future free from violence, abuse and exploitation of girls and boys in Fiji, found that 72 percent of respondents admit to physically hurting children in the household. The report also found that children are at risk in spaces they occupy most of the time (home and school), and around people known to them. According to UNICEF indicators, 72 percent of children age 1 – 14 experience violent discipline (either psychological aggression and/or physical discipline) each month (https://data.unicef.org/country/fji/). TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 15 Figure 6 - Reported Impacts of Childcare Responsibilities on Work (private sector) Take a lower paid 8% Female Male or part-time job 3% 12 % Other ways 11 % 60 % Miss work 56 % Late to work 73 % or leave early 74 % 79 % Distracted at work 76 % said they do not have any back-up arrangements, while slightly Impact of Childcare on Work over one-quarter (28 percent) said they always have a back-up Results from the employee survey indicate that childcare arrangement. Some parents noted they have limited options for responsibilities heavily impact employee’s work; 83 percent childcare. In the words of one female employee, “babysitters of parents of pre-school age children reported that their care tend to dictate things at home, we go with it because we need the responsibilities impact their work. Women report slightly higher babysitter, otherwise we can’t go to work.” Parents emphasized that impacts than men, but both mothers and fathers report widespread it can be very difficult to find babysitters, and even harder to find impacts on their ability to work to their fullest (Figure 6). someone as a back-up, if their regular caregiver is unavailable. Feedback from staff reflected that although 40 percent said they were generally happy with their regular childcare arrangements, these often fell through and parents generally did not have back up arrangements available. Parents also suggested that they didn’t Two-thirds of parents noted have options and so tended to make the most of whatever care they had available. concerns with their current child care arrangements 16 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI The most common ways childcare responsibilities impact work are Focus group participants talked about the issues that being absent as follows, with little difference between men and women overall: from work can have both at work and at home. This included: • parents being distracted during the day – 78 percent of parents - Participants frequently talked about feeling ashamed for having with pre-school age children reported this to be the case; to miss work so often due to childcare responsibilities. In the words of one worker, “my absence causes work overload on my • parents being late for work or causing them to leave early - 73 team members and I often feel bad or ashamed about it.” percent of parents with pre-school age children reported this to be the case; and - Increased workload comes from missing a day or more of work and this can lead to work overload or missing lunch to catch up. • parents missing work – 59 percent of parents with pre-school age children reported this to be the case. Generally, participants noted that leave taken to care for children is deducted from annual leave or is unpaid if all annual leave has ABSENTEEISM been used. Participants noted that in most cases sick leave was not Almost six out of every ten parents reported being absent from available to care for sick children. Parents noted that this means work at least once in the previous four weeks, and one in five they also have less annual leave to spend with their children and, as reported being absent three or more times (Figure 7). The main a result, face extra stress by deciding between their child’s welfare reasons parents gave for missing work were children being sick or and losing their pay if they miss work. Some participants said babysitter not showing up. Several parents reported ‘Monday fever’ they would feel uncomfortable calling to tell their supervisor why with babysitters often being absent on Mondays. Many parents also they will be late, so they resort to taking the full day off instead noted taking time off work at the start of the school term to buy and not being paid or using up annual or sick leave. In some new school uniforms and stationary. cases, employees were able to make up missed work on another day, however this varied by company, job type and the individual Figure 7 - Frequency of absence in previous 4 weeks manager. The new Family Care Leave, which entitles all workers to due to childcare responsibilities (private sector) an additional five days of paid leave, should help to reduce some of this lost time9. 6+ Times -6 Times % % ARRIVING LATE OR LEAVING EARLY High numbers of parents reported arriving late or leaving early to manage childcare responsibilities, with little difference between - TIMES women and men. Almost three-quarters of parents (73 percent) % reported being late or leaving early at least once in the previous NEVER % four weeks, while more than one-third (37 percent) reported they were late or left early three or more times (Figure 8). TIMES % Focus group respondents reported they are often late to work or leave TIME early because the babysitter isn’t on time or leaves during the day to % attend to a personal matter, or a sick child needs to be cared for or taken to see a doctor. Participants talked about the stress this can create as work piles up when they are away from their workplace. 9 As of January 2019, all employees are now entitled to an additional five days of Family Care Leave, pursuant to the Employment Relations (Budget Amendment) Act 2018. TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 17 Figure 8 - Frequency of lateness in previous 4 weeks due to childcare responsibilities (private sector) what can be achieved in 3 days 6+ Times 8% takes the whole week -6 Times 8% NEVER % Parents talked about how distraction, due to childcare responsibilities, impacts their work, including: - TIMES % - high levels of stress or ‘moodiness’ TIME - not being thorough and making mistakes % TIMES - low productivity, or in the words of one office worker “what can % be achieved in 3 days takes the whole week” - poor customer service, slow at providing service, and sometimes being rude to customers - feelings of shame that others must pick up their workload when Some participants had positive experiences with supervisors allowing they are not performing at their fullest them to make up the time another day or on the weekend, or swap shifts with another colleague, although this varied widely across participating businesses and was often dependent on the manager. In Figure 9 - Frequency of being distracted in previous 4 weeks most cases, participants noted that their pay was deducted to reflect due to childcare responsibilities (private sector) the reduced hours. In some instances, leave is granted but it can take a few hours for it to be approved, which parents noted can be frustrating when children need immediate attention. LOW PRODUCTIVITY -6 Times 6+ Times Being distracted was the most common impact on work reported, 6% % NEVER % with relatively small differences between the impacts reported by women and men. This leads to reduced productivity and can also increase stress and anxiety among parents. More than three- TIME quarters of parents reported being distracted at least once in - TIMES % % the four weeks prior to completing the survey due to childcare responsibilities, with most having been distracted more than once. TIMES Almost one-quarter (23 percent) reported being distracted three to % four times, and more than one in ten report being distracted more than six times in the preceding four weeks (Figure 9). 18 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI Estimating the cost to business Feedback during focus groups highlighted some of the benefits Using the self-reported data from the survey, below are estimates parents envisaged from having a childcare center, particularly one of the overall days lost due to parents (both with pre-school and located close to work. These include: older children) being distracted, late for work (or leaving early) or - reduced absenteeism and lateness absent due to childcare responsibilities. More detail on how these productivity losses were calculated is included in Annex A. - working better with the knowledge their children are well and safe in a center close to their work Combining the three forms of self-reported impacts on work, we - improved sense of safety for children estimate that across the seven businesses, a total of 4,145 work - easier drop off and pick up days are lost every four weeks due to staff being late, absent or - lactating mothers to continue breastfeeding during the day distracted due to childcare responsibilities. This equates to 4.6 percent of work days lost every four weeks across all staff, or the - ability to check on children during the day to make sure they are equivalent of 11.1 missed work days per employee every year. happy and well cared for - partner (wife or husband) to also find work, bringing in Using average salary data from four companies we were also able additional income for the family to calculate the average cost to companies associated with lost - easier and quicker to attend to children if there is an emergency staff time due to childcare responsibilities. These costs ranged from - wanting care for children as young as 3 months old through to 89,000 Fijian dollars at one company to 844,000 Fijian dollars afterschool care per year at another. On average, lost staff time due to childcare responsibilities costs companies as much as 550,000 Fijian dollars - better child development opportunities and education for their per year in total, or 1,000 Fijian dollars per employee. children Survey results show that most parents are paying an average of Employee Preferences for Childcare Supports 60 Fijian dollars per week for their current childcare. Feedback Information on what type of childcare supports would be most from focus groups suggest that this is often in the form of in- welcomed by parents of pre-school age children was collected kind payments – buying groceries or paying school fees for the through the staff survey and focus group discussions. This section caregiver’s children. Parents were also asked what they would be highlights the most common support requested. prepared to pay to access a formal childcare service. On average, parents were willing to pay 64 Fijian dollars per week for a high- CHILDCARE CENTER quality, accessible childcare service (Figure 10). This is an important There was widespread support among survey respondents for finding, as it indicates that parents place a clear monetary value on access to a high-quality formal childcare service: 72 percent of this type of service and are willing to pay to use it. respondents with pre-school age children said they would make use of a center if one were available. Most parents (71 percent) CHILDCARE SPACE AT WORK preferred the idea of a childcare center close to work, while a Focus group participants with school-aged children talked about large number also said they would use one close to home if it were the benefits of having a child-friendly room at work where children available (60 percent). Many parents (64 percent) noted they would could come and wait for their parent’s after school or where children need transportation assistance to get children to and from any new could spend time if the babysitter doesn’t turn up. Parents noted that childcare center. if their employer hired a trained caregiver to watch the children TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 19 Figure 10 - Parents reported current payments per week for childcare services and willingness to pay to access a childcare center (prvate sector) 31% Current Payment 25% 25% 24% 22% Willingness to Pay 17% 16% 10% 10% 6% 7% 7% $0 $1 - $40 $41 - $70 $71 - $100 $101 - $130 $130 + in that room, they would be happy to pay when they used it. One - Condensed hours, such as working 40 hours across fewer days, participant noted that “most mothers would be happy to make which would allow workers to have more time at home with this financial commitment to allow them less pressure and stress at children. work.” Many female participants noted they would like to have a - For those in administrative or professional roles, provide options lactation room or other breastfeeding support at the workplace. to work from home, including making up missed time. FLEXIBILITY - Being able to make up time on another day if leave is taken or if There were a range of other supports that parents identified as a staff member starts late or leaves early. being useful (Figure 11), with flexibility being most sought after: almost half of parents (48 percent) indicated they would like Figure 11 - Childcare-related benefits as identified by survey respondents (prvate sector) greater flexibility in their work schedule. Almost one-third of respondents noted they would be interested in exploring job- Breastfeeding/lactation room sharing arrangements, which is one form of flexibility that could 22 % be explored by some companies. Focus group participants talked about flexibility in a variety of ways, including: Job-sharing 29 % - Flexible hours, including the ability to work from home or part- time. This was particularly emphasized for nursing mothers. Parental information sessions 34 % - Adjusting shift times to start later or finish earlier to be able to drop children off or collect them from school or daycare. Health support (such as child immunizations) 35 % - Allowing extra leave days at the beginning or end of school term to buy uniforms and school supplies and to attend end-of-year Flexible work schedule concerts and prize giving. 48 % 20 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI OTHER TYPES OF SUPPORT Employer responses Many focus group participants talked about having paid parental Each of the companies that participated in this study are now leave days or some form of special leave that could be used if a exploring opportunities to respond to the issues raised by their child is unwell or if care arrangements falls through. This could staff. These include: include being able to use a child’s medical certificate as justification for taking sick leave or having special leave at the start and end of - exploring options for integrating an on-site childcare center the school year. The recent introduction of five days of ‘Family Care into the building plans for a new work site and looking for an Leave’ should help to alleviate some of this pressure for parents. external provider who could operate this. Some of the companies Some focus groups expressed concern that they were not trusted by who are based in a similar location are exploring the options for human resources or were made to feel bad when asking for time off a joint service to be operated by an external provider and shared to care for children. across the businesses One-third of parents said they would like additional support for - setting up an employee resource group for parents, to create a accessing child health services. Suggestions included, having a safe and supportive space for parents to share information dedicated health day for check-ups for workers and their children - exploring options for creating a space within the worksite for and provision of first aid training for workers and their care givers. emergency back-up care or where children can come after school to wait for their parent to finish work Parental information sessions were another benefit requested by one-third of respondents. Feedback from focus group discussions - offering educational sessions for parents and caregivers on indicated the types of topics that would be useful, including: weekends - education for new parents around how to care for a newborn as well as self-care for new mothers. This could include information around breastfeeding and hygiene related to expressing milk 83% of parents of pre-school - education on child nutrition and first aid age children reported that care - education around early childhood development responsibilities impact their work - guidance on good parenting techniques - mentoring by older parents for new parents (both mothers and fathers suggested this) - career management for how to balance work and parenting - parent’s groups to share information and discuss family and social issues affecting staff and how to balance work and family life - training on time management - how to balance work and caring responsibilities and how to manage stress. TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 21 “ You have to do a lot of juggling in your mind when children are away from you” Atlesh Sharma – father of three Team Leader Finanical Reporting Fiji National Provident Fund 22 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI “ It is a challenge for me because I am pregnant and I also have a toddler, so it is both stressful at home and at work.” Mere Boa - mother of two Contact Centre Agent RCL Services TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 23 3. Impacts of Child Care Responsibilities on Public Sector Employees This section includes a summary of results from the 1,002 Satisfaction with Current Arrangements public sector employees who completed the staff survey, making Overall public sector respondents were slightly less satisfied with comparisons with the private sector survey where relevant. Focus their current care arrangements than those in the private sector. This groups were not conducted with public sector employees. finding is strongly associated with those parents who use a day care center, kindergarten or a babysitter. Only one-quarter of those using Findings childcare and one-sixth of those using a babysitter were satisfied Existing Childcare Arrangements with their arrangement. Almost two-thirds of parents reported concerns about their child’s safety and around half reported Most parents (65 percent) in the public sector make use of a family concerns with nutrition and their child’s health (Figure 13). These member or a spouse/partner to care for children while they are at were also the top three concerns raised among parents in the private work (Figure 12). A higher proportion of public sector employees sector. Education and learning were also a key concern among than private sector use a babysitter (26 percent compared with 13 public sector respondents (23 percent reported this to be a concern), percent) or kindergarten (13 percent compared with 5 percent). more so than for private sector respondents (5 percent). Some parents noted in the survey that they have an arrangement with their manager that they can bring their children to work for Figure 13 - Parent's concerns with current care arrangements whole or part days if they need to. For example, one parent noted (public sector) that their child goes to kindergarten for half the day and then spends the afternoon at work. This type of arrangement was less common among private sector employees. Other concern 7.2 % No concern Figure 12 - Type of care used by parents with pre-school age 7% children (public sector) Challenges with continuing breastfeeding 17 % Other Price is too high 17 27 % Day care or kindergarten Childs health 59 50 % Childs nutrition Babysitter 52 % 119 Childs safety Spouse/partner 60 % 138 Other family member Less than one-third of parents reported having a reliable back-up 221 arrangement if their regular care falls through or if their child is sick, which is similar to findings for private sector employees. This again highlights the challenges parents face in balancing work and Note: Respondents were able to select more than one type of care, care responsibilities and can be a key contributor to child-care- as many parents reported using a combination of care types. related absenteeism. 24 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI Impact of Childcare on Work The impacts reported by parents with pre-school age children in Survey results suggest that public sector employees experience the four weeks preceding the survey were more frequent in all three slightly higher impacts of childcare responsibilities on work than categories for public sector respondents than among the private private sector employees. Almost nine out of ten (88 percent) public sector, with little difference between women and men overall. The sector respondents with pre-school age children reported that following impacts were reported on average: care responsibilities impact their work, compared with 83 percent • Public sector respondents reported being late to work three private sector parents. Women were more likely than men report times on average, compared with 2.3 times among private sector being late to work or leaving early, or to miss work entirely due respondents; to childcare responsibilities, although men were still significantly affected in these ways (Figure 14). Men and women were equally • Public sector respondents reported being absent from work 1.9 likely to report being distracted. Surprisingly men were more than times on average, compared with 1.4 times for private sector twice as likely to report having to take a lower paid or part-time respondents; and job, to deal with childcare care responsibilities, than women. • Public sector respondents reported being distracted 2.8 times on average, compared with 2.6 times for private sector respondents Figure 14 - Self-reported impact of care responsibilities on work (public sector) 11 % Female Male Other ways 10 % 3% Take lower paid or part-time job 8% 45 % Distracted at work 44 % 58 % Miss work 46 % 64 % Late to work or leave early 53 % TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 25 Estimating the Cost to Business them manage work and childcare responsibilities. This was also the Using the same methodology as for the private sector, the most common among private sector employees (48 percent). Like productivity loss associated with childcare responsibilities was private sector respondents, parental information sessions were also calculated. Combining the three forms of self-reported impacts on a high priority among parents, with almost one-third reporting this work, we estimate that across the public sector a total of 47,078 would be helpful, followed by job-sharing and health supports. work days are lost every four weeks due to staff being late, absent Figure 15 - Other desired benefits (public sector) or distracted due to childcare responsibilities. This equates to 6.4 percent of work days lost every four weeks across all staff, or almost 15.4 lost work days per employee every year. This is Breastfeeding/lactation room significantly higher than among private sector employees, who lose an estimated 11.1 work days per year or 4.6 percent of workdays. 18% There may be some reasons why the impacts are higher among Health support (such as child immunizations) public sector employees; public sector employees have, on average, more children than private sector employees (2.6 children and 2.1 25% children, on average, respectively), but there may also be greater Job-sharing consequences for being late or missing work in the private sector 25% than in the public sector. See Annex A for further details on how these impacts were calculated. Parental information sessions Employee Preferences for Childcare Supports 31% Just over half of parents in the public sector survey reported that Flexible work schedule they would make use of a childcare center if one were available. 55% This was significantly lower than the almost three-quarters (73 percent) of private sector parents who reported they would use a service if one were available. Two thirds of parents said they would need assistance with transporation to access a childcare center. The results of this survey clearly demonstrate the widespread impacts childcare responsibilities have on employees in Fiji’s public Public sector employees expressed a willingness to pay more sector, particularly for those with pre-school age children. to access a high-quality childcare center than the private sector employees surveyed, with an average willingess to pay of 82 Fijian dollars per week among public sector respondents compared with 64 Fijian dollars among private sector employees. Public sector respondents also report paying slightly more for their current 15.4 workdays lost per employee childcare services than private sector, at 68 Fijian dollars per week each year in the public sector compared with 60 Fijian dollars per week. In terms of other benefits valued by parents (Figure 15), by far the most sought-after benefit was greater flexibility, with more than half (55 percent) of respondents noting this benefit would help 26 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI “ I don’t have a babysitter to look after my baby. I have my sister who can look after the baby if I am not there… and my brother in law can stay with her if I do night shift work” Mila – mother of one (baby) Grand Pacific Hotel TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 27 4. The Childcare Landscape in Fiji The regulatory environment matters. Governments need to put ECCE centers. The Education Act regulates early childhood services in place policy and regulatory frameworks that enable public and for children aged three to six years but does not include any private-sector childcare provision. IFC’s global Tackling Childcare provisions related to services for children below three years of age. report demonstrates the benefits to employers and communities As a result, the provision of ECCE services for children below three when supportive public policies are in place, such as quality and years of age is largely unregulated in Fiji. safety guidelines for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) services that cover children below age five, capacity-building All early childhood education services catering to at least 10 initiatives for service providers and fiscal incentives for employers children aged five and above are required to be registered with the and investors to support access to childcare services. Ministry of Education (MOE) in accordance with the Establishment and Recognition/Registration of Schools Policy 2011. The Asset Fiji has made recent strides in supporting working parents, and Monitoring Unit (AMU) of the MOE is responsible for including through increasing paid maternity leave from 84 to 98 implementing this policy, but does not provide licenses or oversight days, the introduction of five days paid Paternity Leave and five for ECCE services for children below age five, nor is the AMU days of paid Family Leave, all effective as of January 1, 2019 . 10 able to monitor the many ECCE centers which operate without Yet low to middle-income working parents struggle to find a registration. At present, no Ministry provides oversight of services solution to mind their young children when it is time for them to for children below age five, which means there is limited oversight return to work. In many cases, it is women who are responsible for of the quality of care being provided at centers for children below the bulk of childcare responsibilities, which contributes to women’s age five. Feedback collected for this report also indicates that, in limited participation in formal employment. A more detailed practice, there is limited ongoing monitoring of registered ECCE discussion of the childcare landscape in Fiji is included in Annex B. centers once they are in operation. In recent years, the Fijian government has started investing in Early For-profit centers, which fall outside the purview of the MOE Childhood Development (ECD) supported by vast literature, which and AMU, are required to be registered as a business with the Fiji cites long-term outcomes of economic prosperity, social cohesion, Registrar of Companies Office and to obtain a business license with health, human resource development, academic achievements the local town or city council. Reports suggest that the process of and gender equality. Positive childhood development outcomes registering for a business license can be challenging, with lack of associated with accessing quality ECCE services are particularly clarity among town and city counsellors regarding when a center recognized for vulnerable children from disadvantaged background, needs to be registered with MOE or not. Pursuant to the Foreign who are generally the least likely to have access to ECCE11. Investment Regulations 2009, the operation of a day care center is also listed as a ‘reserved business’ activity, which is available only The right to early childhood and primary education is embedded in to Fijian citizens. the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji 2013, under the ‘Right to Education’ provision. Fiji’s Policy in Early Childhood Education Accessing suitably qualified and experienced staff is a challenge for 2013 also stipulates the provision of quality programming and both kindergartens and childcare service providers. Kindergartens regulatory oversight for early childhood education, care and or other childcare services that are required to be registered development services for children aged three to eight years. The with MOE, are required to hire staff with relevant teaching Fijian government supports one-year of free pre-primary education qualifications. By contrast, childcare centers which are not for five-year-old children (non-compulsory) enrolled in registered registered, are not required to hire staff with ECCE qualifications. 10 Pursuant to the Employment Relations (Budget Amendment) Act 2018. Employers are offered a 150% tax deduction on paternity and family care leave which allows employers to deduct 150% of the total amount paid for paternity and family care leave from their income, while maternity leave is covered in full by employers. 11 World Bank Group (2016). Snapshot investing in the early years for growth and productivity 28 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI There are an estimated 18 formal childcare service providers operating in the Suva and Nadi areas as of late 201812, 11 of these At present, no Ministry were interviewed for the purposes of this report. Childcare fees range from 15 to 120 Fijian dollars per day13. Business barriers provides oversight of services identified by these providers include lack of access to finance to for children below age five expand their service ,coupled with bureaucratic delays and lack of clarity around registration requirements. Accessing land and property on which to develop childcare centers was also identified as a challenge, with most operating out of the residential home of There are also challenges with hiring suitably experienced staff to the owner. care for younger children, particularly those who are not toilet trained or cannot feed themselves, as staff with ECCE qualifications Daycare providers noted that the demand for childcare services will generally not complete these duties. is increasing, especially for children below age five. Because of this, many centers are taking on more than their current capacity Fiji has set out comprehensive guidelines for ECCE in its national comfortably allows for. Some are exploring options for expansion, curriculum, specifying targeted child development outcomes, including taking on a wider range of ages. teaching and caring practices and strategies for monitoring and assessment. As many ECCE centers are yet to register (and are not required to register), it is unclear whether they comply with these guidelines. Similarly, the Policy on Child Protection of The Ministry of Education and Fiji Schools 2010 does not apply to ECCE centers which are not registered. Child protection issues are largely unaddressed in the childcare centers interviewed for this study. None of the centers have a child protection policy, although they do all have Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) protocols, such as requiring the gate to be always closed and requiring visitors to sign in and out. 12 Based on primary research by IFC consultant, including interviews which were conducted with 11 service providers across Suva and Nadi. 13 A high-end preschool in Muanikau is roughly FJD120/week (7:30am to 2:30pm) and hiring a full-time nanny (7:30am – 5:00pm) would cost a family between FJD90-160/week TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 29 “ It has actually affected my work – in a month I can come to work late at least two or three times” Jeanie Koroicura – mother of two Contact Centre Agent RCL Services 30 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI “ My working hours for this company are 8 to 5 and after that, I have to go and pick up my kids from daycare” Radhika Devi Singh – mother of two Sales Representative Vinod Patel TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 31 5. Priorities for Action This section outlines a range of possible actions to be taken by Lower-resource-intensive interventions employers, the government and others to help increase access to affordable, accessible and quality childcare services for parents in Fiji. • Set up a parents’ group within your business: Having a parents’ group for employees can serve a number of functions. It Some of the key lessons emerging from IFC’s global work on creates a safe space where parents can share their experiences, tackling childcare include: challenges and successes and can be an avenue for parents to help solve challenges they may be going through. It also creates • There is no “one size fits all” approach to childcare solutions. a peer-support network to help workers realize they are not The companies that benefit the most are those that provide a alone in the challenges they may be experiencing. It can also variety of childcare options – from back up care for emergencies, provide a platform for working parents to raise concerns and to flexible working arrangements to on-site childcare services. consolidate common challenges. This can then be communicated • Offering childcare support as part of a holistic strategy yields the to human resources and management through a regular reporting greatest results. This includes by integrating childcare strategies mechanism, which can help ensure the concerns of working into wider diversity policies and combining them with other parents are understood by senior management and can be approaches to support employees work-life needs. addressed wherever possible. • Encouraging and enabling fathers to use policies as actively • Have a consistent approach for managing childcare-related leave: as mothers is key to yielding returns, particularly through the Parents in this study consistently noted the desire for a consistent business benefits of diversity. and predictable approach to managing childcare-related leave or lateness. This could be achieved through having clear policies • Low-income parents often have the greatest need for childcare for reporting a staff member taking leave and how this will be options – it boosts early childhood development and helps addressed through paid or unpaid time off, or the ability to make parents retain their jobs. up the work hours another time. This should also include a clear • It takes government and private sector collaboration to create approach to dealing with emergencies that can arise during the markets for employer-supported childcare. Exploring options day and require a caregiver to leave work at short notice. for public private partnerships can be integral for developing • Create Return-to-Work Benefits: Creating a holistic approach sustainable childcare solutions. to supporting women during their maternity process to lessen stress, increase well-being and support career continuity is Recommendations for Business recommended. A return-to-work program is designed to support There is no one-size-fits-all approach to employer-supported the process of career interruption, due to the birth or adoption childcare. Each company is different as are the needs of its of a child, and ensure a healthy transition back to work. It is individual employees. Childcare by itself is not enough. It needs important to consider: to be part of a holistic strategy and suite of benefits offered to - starting support before the employee goes on maternity leave working parents. Support can be delivered in a variety of ways – from emergency back-up care to on-site full-service care. The - supporting managers, including clarification on the company’s interventions, outlined below, range from less resource intensive policies, benefits, and expectations and relatively easier to implement, to more resource intensive. - manager training that facilitates conversations before Having a range of options can help ensure that parents are able to and during leave, so employees can stay connected or not access the support that best suits their needs. depending on their preference 32 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI - lactation rooms for women after they return to work Higher resource intensive - options for a phased return-to-work schedule • Emergency back-up care or afterschool care: This might include setting up a space at the worksite where parents can bring - maternity mentoring programs linking senior women, who their children after school or if their regular care provider is have successfully transitioned back to work after starting a unavailable. It could also include having casual spaces reserved at family, to women who are embarking on this journey. a local daycare provider to help when regular care falls through. • Work place adjustments, including flextime: Businesses should • Childcare services: Based on employee demand and company consider what types of workplace adjustments might be feasible objectives, for some businesses it will make business sense to to help parents balance their work and home responsibilities. consider options for childcare services such as an on or near- This could include: greater flexibility for some or all roles; site company childcare center. A useful framework for assessing allowing later start or finish times to allow parents to drop whether a dedicated childcare service is needed to meet business children off or pick them up from school or daycare; job needs is available on page 42 of The Benefits and Challenges of rotations for parents, in particular pregnant or nursing mothers, a Workplace Creche: Employer-Supported Childcare in India14. to address issues related to fatigue, health and safety; and allow This could be run in-house or contracted out to a third-party greater flexibility to continue nursing. This might include giving childcare provider. As the results of this study show, for many them the option of moving from a front-of-house role to a back- working parents in Fiji, accessing a formal childcare center will office role, for a period of time. only be feasible if transportation is also provided. Consideration • Training and support for parents and caregivers: Solicit feedback should be given to the type of transportation that could be from parents about the types of training or support that would made available. As part of this, companies should ensure the be most helpful for them and their regular caregiver. This could sustainability of any initiative through a cost-benefit analysis. include basic first aid, information for new parents and guidance This could involve calculating the estimated costs associated with on nutrition for infants and young children. It might also include lost staff time due to childcare responsibilities and comparing assisting parents navigate their careers as working parents. against the projected costs of implementing and operating a • Reserving places at a local childcare provider: For those childcare service. IFC is developing a guidance note to help employers that are within proximity of a childcare center, companies work through the process of establishing a childcare reserving a number of spaces to ensure there is availability for facility, which will be made available in late 2019. staff can be an option. In some instances, employers may even • A workplace consortium allows multiple employers to subsidize the cost of those services. collaborate and share a childcare center, typically on or near • Inform employees, women and men, about their care and the worksite. This model is often successful in a business park, family benefits: Often employees do not know what options are campus or office building with multiple employer tenants. While available to them or how to access these benefits. Making sure it can be time-intensive to arrange, because of the facilitation the benefits are available to fathers as well as mothers is also between employers, the consortium model shares the financial important in shifting social norms around the role fathers can investment to develop the center, ongoing expenses for the and should play in caring for children. management and operations of the crèche and access for employees to the service. This model is worth considering in 14 IFC and Bright Horizons 2019: The Benefits and Challenges of a Workplace Creche: Employer-Supported Childcare in India TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 33 “ We just have to leave our work and go, so we are not able to deliver 100% for that day” Azmeen Faryaaz - mother of one Performance Management Officer Fiji National Provident Fund 34 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI “ If my mum is sick and I cannot find a nanny, I have to take leave, apply for vacation hours or work extra hours to cover the hours I have missed to take care of my daughter.” Deepa Kumar - mother of one Quality Assurance Officer Mindpearl Fiji Image: World Bank / Alana Holmberg. TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 35 areas with limited availability of childcare provisions near the subsidies directly to childcare providers on a per-child basis. In workplace, high real-estate costs. This shared-services approach parts of the United States, employers can offset income taxes by can ultimately be cost effective. allowing parents to pay for childcare pre-tax and Federal Tax Credits reduce the cost of every dollar spent on childcare for In addition, companies should also regularly collect sex- employees by 50 percent. disaggregated workforce data and closely monitor absenteeism, retention and other key workforce indicators by female/male to • Promote Space for Childcare Services to Increase Supply: Amend help track the impact of any new workplace interventions. requirements of new-office building developments to include space dedicated to childcare facilities. This would increase the Recommendations for Government supply of childcare services and offer employers in the building Through policy and regulatory frameworks, the Fijian government access to a workplace childcare solution. This could also be can set national priorities for ECCE, establish systems for achieved through real-estate tax relief for employers or real- regulating and monitoring quality and address funding and estate developers on investments for the provisions of childcare resources for services. In particular, this includes: facilities. • Partner with Private Sector to Expand Access to Care: Exploring • Establish a coherent policy and regulatory framework: Regardless innovative financing options and options for public-private of whether the government provides childcare services or not, partnerships (PPPs) to support greater provision of quality they play an important role, as a regulator, to establish and ECCE services. There are many successful examples of PPPs monitor quality and safety standards within daycare and other for childcare that can be replicated and expanded upon for the ECCE centers. Reliability, affordability and quality are among Fiji context. IFC’s Tackling Childcare report (2017) includes the most important determinants of demand and uptake of examples from Turkey (with Borusan, a heavy manufacturing formal childcare. Regulations regarding licensing requirements, plant) and the Netherlands (with a hospital, Schön Klinik). such as program accreditation, teacher quality, teacher-student The government can promote childcare provisions through ratios, safety standards and facility requirements, need to be PPP models to expand the stock of childcare spaces. Models to outlined clearly in relevant laws and policies15. Part of this reform consider include providing or subsidizing the real-estate costs of process could include consideration of increasing budgetary childcare facilities for a private sector company or industry body support for ECCE services. or providing the infrastructure in special economic zones. The • Consider provision and/or subsidization of childcare services: government’s involvement in PPPs could accelerate the provision Government involvement in providing childcare services can of childcare through reducing regulatory obstacles for companies range along a continuum, from full government support – with setting up childcare solutions and cost-sharing the establishment the government directly delivering and operating the service and running of childcare centers. PPP models could provide – to no government involvement – with services delivered by community-based solutions for workers who have difficult community-based centers with funding from nongovernmental commutes, by providing space, and operated by, communities organizations or by privately owned and operated centers with and having the employers and parents cover the usage costs. no public subsidy. In another scenario, the government might • Establish a Task Force: To help identify and prioritize the subsidize privately operated or community-based centers – either government’s response to the growing demand for childcare directly or through a range of incentives such as allowances services, the government could consider establishing a multi- or tax benefits for parents, care providers or employers. In stakeholder task force with representatives from a range of Australia, for example, the government provides means-tested 15 World Bank 2018: Gender-Sensitive Fiscal Policy: A Framework for Public Investment in Childcare in Low Income Countries. 36 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI government ministries, the private sector, service providers and these skills gaps and to develop solutions to respond to them. Some nongovernmental organizations. In 2018, in Sri Lanka, where initial suggestions include: there was a similar gap in relation to the policy and regulatory framework for childcare services, the Prime Minister established - Promote the establishment of a childcare sector skills council a task force to spearhead the development of regulations or the training and certification of childcare workers through a and incentives for the provision of quality childcare services. skills council, to build a quality workforce. This would promote Key outcomes of the taskforce to date include amendments the development of a trained workforce that could command to the Maternity Benefits Ordinance, aimed at enhancing a higher salary for childcare provision. It could benefit many maternity benefits. The Sri Lankan taskforce comprises 14 entering the workforce, particularly women. representatives from public and private sectors, including: - Increase the number of early childhood educators trained in company representatives from key sectors; government officials, quality approaches to serving young children and their families. including from Ministry of Women and Children, Ministry of - Develop and promote local “best practices” sessions to engage Economy, Ministry of Investment and Ministry of Education; providers in quality training, local customs and promote safety representatives from the childcare sector; IFC and World Bank and childhood development outcomes. representatives; and relevant civil society representatives. - Extend professional credentialing to create career paths and encourage continued education and career aspirations for Recommendations for Others individuals who care for young children. Financial Institutions: - Explore opportunities to partner with peak bodies and childcare The market scan conducted as part of this study highlights that providers, from elsewhere in the region, to promote learning increased investments are necessary to expand quality childcare and improve quality of care available. This could include service options to meet the demand for employer-supported secondments for experienced providers to new centers or childcare for both the public and private sector. For financial partnering experienced educators with those new to the sector. institutions, this presents a future opportunity to explore funding options for existing or new childcare providers – from micro entrepreneurs to small and medium enterprises. This could be considered as the quality and safety standards are introduced. Training providers: Increased investments are To grow the childcare market in Fiji, providers will need access necessary to expand quality to caregivers with relevant skills and experience. The growing demand for childcare services can drive job opportunities, but to childcare service options attract talented people, efforts need to be made to compensate care workers fairly, treat them well and equip them with the skills needed to perform well. Evidence collected for this study suggests that gaps still remain in the training available and the skills trainees are equipped with, particularly with regards to caring for younger- aged children. Further work is recommended to better understand TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 37 “ If there was a daycare at work, both of us would have access to jobs – my wife and myself – and at the same time, my son would be looked after properly” Julian Peckham - father of one Human Resources Administrator Mindpearl Fiji 38 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI “ I have four kids...sometimes it is very complicated to come to work and leave them at home” Bernadette Elliot (above left) mother of four Food and Beverage Services Grand Pacific Hotel TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 39 6 Conclusion This study clearly demonstrates the growing demand for affordable, accessible and quality childcare services among working parents in Fiji. The current informal arrangements that many parents rely on often lead to increased absenteeism and reduced productivity, which negatively affects individual employees and impacts the wider business. The study demonstrates a strong business case for employers, in both the public and private sectors, to proactively support the childcare needs of their workers as a way of reducing the time parents spend worrying about their children while they are at work and reducing the time parents spend away from work dealing with childcare-related responsibilities. There is a strong and growing evidence base, from both developed and developing countries, to demonstrate that when employers invest in supporting employee childcare needs through a range of options, employers and employees win, as do their children and the broader community. While there is some supply of childcare services in Fiji, there is clearly not enough to meet this demand. Equally, services are not being delivered in ways that meets the needs of many parents. Proactive engagement by the Fijian government to help establish the necessary enabling environment, through clear policies and regulations, along with identifying options for the public and private sector to work together to increase the supply of services will be fundamental in building a strong and sustainable childcare sector in Fiji. 40 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI Annex A – Calculating Cost to Business This section outlines the methodology used to calculate the For staff who reported being late or having to leave early due business costs associated with childcare responsibilities. It provides to childcare responsibilities, we assumed a loss of one hour per a summary of the losses, for both the private and public sectors reported incident. Using this assumption, if all staff across the seven separately, for each of the three categories of impact – absenteeism, companies are affected the same way as the sample size, then each lateness and distraction. employee loses 0.13 work days every four weeks, or the equivalent of 572 total work days lost across all employees in a four-week Private Sector Estimated Loses16 period due to childcare associated lateness. The productivity loss from feeling distracted was calculated using a multiplier of one hour. For example, if someone reported feeling The survey also asked parents about how often they were absent distracted once in the past four weeks, they are assumed to have due to childcare responsibilities in the previous four weeks. This lost one hour of productivity at work. For someone who reported figure was substantially higher, with each employee missing 0.7 feeling distracted three to four times in the same period, they are work days every four weeks, with an estimated 2908 days of work assumed to have lost the equivalent of three and a half hours of lost across the seven businesses, or half a day per employee every work over that period. On average each employee loses 0.15 days four weeks. every four weeks due to being distracted. This is the equivalent of 665 lost work days in a four-week period across the seven companies16. Estimated person days lost due to feeling distracted due childcare responsibilities (private sector) Three - Five - Six Number of times distracted due to childcare Once Twice Total Four Six or more Assuming 1 hour discount due to distraction (a3) 1 2 3.5 5.5 6.5 - Number of survey participants reporting feeling 112 206 184 58 97 657 distracted due to childcare issues (b3) Number of days lost due to distraction = (a3 x b3)/8 14 52 81 40 79 265 Average number of days lost per employee in a 4 week period due to being distracted (based on survey sample of 1775) 0.15 Equates to 665 lost work days in a four week period 665 16 Calculations are based on an assumed eight-hour work day, and a 48-week year (assuming four weeks annual leave). TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 41 Estimated person days lost due to staff lateness associated with childcare responsibilities (private sector) Three - Five - Six Number of times late due to childcare Once Twice Total Four Six or more Assuming 1 hour discount due to lateness 1 2 3.5 5.5 6.5 - Number of survey respondents reporting 147 185 174 54 61 621 being late (a1) times in previous 4 weeks (b1) Number of days lost due to lateness (=(a1 x b1)/8) 18 46 76 37 50 227 Average number of days lost due to lateness per employee in a 4-week period (based on survey sample of 1775) 0.13 Equates to 572 lost work days in a four week period. 572 Estimated person days lost due to absenteeism associated with childcare responsibilities (private sector) Three - Five - Six Number of times absent due to childcare Once Twice Total Four Six or more Number of survey respondents reporting 1.0 2.0 3.5 5.5 6.5 - Number of survey respondents reporting being absent 177 170 105 20 25 497 (a2) times in previous 4 weeks (b2) Number of days lost due to staff absence = (a2 x b2) 177 340 368 110 163 1157 in previous 4 weeks Average number of days lost per employee in a 4 week period due to being distracted (based on survey sample of 1775) 0.17 Equtes to 2,908 lost work days in a four week period 2,908 42 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI The average cost to companies associated with lost work time due to childcare responsibilities was calculated by summing the total wage loss of participating companies in one year and dividing the total by the number of companies. Four (4) companies provided their annual average salary data. The table below summarizes these calculations based on information from these four companies only. Depending on the workforce size, total cost at each company ranges from 89,000 Fijian dollars to 844,000 Fijian dollars per year. On average, lost staff time due to childcare responsibilities costs companies as much as 550,000 Fijian dollars per year in total or 1,000 Fijian dollars per employee. Company average annual wage loss (private sector) Total Number of days lost Annual average Daily average salary Annual wage Annual wage Company workforce for each employee salary per per employee loss loss per (a) per year (b) employee (c) (d = c/240) (=a x b x d) employee Company 1 443 11.1 31,299 130 642,687 1,451 Company 2 984 18.8 7,821 33 602,167 612 Company 3 187 9.3 12,300 51 89,029 476 Company 4 571 10.3 34,483 144 844,537 1,479 Company average annual wage loss 544,605 1,004 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 43 Public Sector Estimated Loses For staff who reported being late or having to leave early due Using the same methodology as for the private sector, the to childcare responsibilities, we assumed a loss of one hour per productivity loss from feeling distracted was calculated using a reported incident. Using this assumption, if all staff across the seven multiplier of one hour. For example, if someone reported feeling companies are affected the same way as the sample size, then each distracted once in the past four weeks, they are assumed to have employee loses 0.19 work date every four weeks, or the equivalent lost one hour of productivity at work. For someone reporting of 7,008 work days lost in a four-week period due to childcare feeling distracted three to four times in the same period, they are associated lateness. assumed to have lost the equivalent of three and a half hours of work over that period. On average each employee loses 0.18 work The survey also asked parents about how often they were absent days every four weeks due to being distracted. This is the equivalent due to childcare responsibilities in the previous four weeks. This of 4,762 lost work days in a four-week period across the 36,776 figure was substantially higher, with an estimated 33,308 days of public sector employees . 17 work lost across the seven businesses, or almost one day (0.91 of a day) per employee every four weeks. Estimated person days lost due to feeling distracted due childcare responsibilities (public sector) Three - Five - Six Number of times distracted due to childcare Once Twice Total Four Six or more Assuming 1 hour discount due to distraction (a3) 1 2 3.5 5.5 6.5 - Number of survey participants reporting feeling 74 134 129 41 70 448 distracted due to childcare issues (b3) Number of days lost due to distraction = (a3 x b3)/8 9 34 56 28 57 184 Average number of days lost per employee in a 4 week period due to being distracted (based on survey sample of 1002) 0.18 Equates to 6,762 lost work days in a four week period 6,762 17 Calculations are based on an assumed eight-hour work day, and a 48-week year (assuming four weeks annual leave). 44 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI Estimated person days lost due to staff lateness associated with childcare responsibilities (public sector) Three - Five - Six Number of times late due to childcare Once Twice Total Four Six or more Assuming 1 hour discount due to lateness 1 2 3.5 5.5 6.5 - Number of survey respondents reporting being late 80 110 139 39 81 449 (a1) times in previous 4 weeks (b1) Number of days lost due to lateness (=(a1 x b1)/8) 10 28 61 27 66 191 Average number of days lost due to lateness per employee in a 4-week period (based on survey sample of 1002) 0.19 Equates to 7,008 lost work days in a four week period. 7,008 Estimated person days lost due to staff absence associated with childcare responsibilities (public sector) Three - Five - Six Number of times absent due to childcare Once Twice Total Four Six or more Number of survey respondents reporting 1.0 2.0 3.5 5.5 6.5 - Number of survey respondents reporting being absent 113 130 92 15 20 370 (a2) times in previous 4 weeks (b2) Number of days lost due to staff absence = (a2 x b2) 113 260 322 83 130 908 in previous 4 weeks Average number of days lost per employee in a 4 week period due to being distracted (based on survey sample of 1002) 0.91 Equates to 33,308 lost work days in a four week period 33,308 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 45 Annex B – Fiji Regulatory Landscape The Regulatory Landscape While AMU is responsible for monitoring and regulating the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) services in Fiji are establishment of kindergartens, they do not provide regular regulated primarily by the Education Act 1978 (the Education monitoring of these centers unless a complaint or concern is lodged Act) and the Policy in Early Childhood Education 2013. The right with them. This means that in practice there is limited oversight of to early childhood and primary education is also enshrined in the ongoing quality of services being provided at kindergartens. the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji 2013, under the ‘Right to AMU does not regulate services for children below age five, unless Education’ provision. The Constitution does not however provide a it is a service that that also has a minimum of 10 students enrolled definition of what constitutes early childhood education. who are aged five or above. This means that in practice, any center The Education Act applies to services for children aged three to which provides services to children of a mixed range of ages and six years. Kindergarten’s are categorized as a ‘school in which includes at least 10 children age five or above, will be required to instruction is given to children between the ages of three and six meet the MoE’s standards for kindergartens and be registered with years in games, stories, simple handwork and other activities aimed MoE, but all others will not. in inculcating good physical and social habits’. The Education Act does not include any provisions in relation to services for children All policies under the purview of the MoE are currently undergoing below three years of age. In practice most kindergartens serve a comprehensive review, including the Education Act. The revised children from five years of age, while some will also accept children legislation is expected to come into effect sometime in 2019. at age four and a half. Government Grants for Early Childhood Care and Education The Policy in Early Childhood Education 2013 (the ECE Policy) aims to provide clear direction to assist schools and all parties Currently the Fijian government makes three types of grants involved in providing early childhood education services to access available in relation to ECCE services. These are available only to information to ensure all services offer quality programming. The kindergarten services, operating as a not-for-profit, and which cater ECE Policy defines early childhood education as an overarching to children five years of age or older. The three grants available are term for services that promote health, growth, care, development designed to help cover teacher salaries, infrastructure and building and learning for children from zero to eight years, however it states costs. These grants include a student grant of 150 Fijian dollars per that the scope of the policy covers only early childhood education year per child aged five or above. Kindergartens are instructed to center-based programming for children aged three to eight years. allocate this grant as follows: 45 percent towards administration Both the Education Act and ECE Policy specifically refer to children costs, 20 percent towards learning resources, 15 percent for from three years of age. In practice the Ministry of Education building and maintenance, 10 percent for health and nutrition, and (MoE) does not regulate early childhood education services for 10 percent for outdoor and recreational equipment. children below the age of five, as discussed further below, and neither Act includes provision for children below age five. The salary grant is available only for kindergarten teachers that are registered with the Fiji Teachers Registration Board. Current All Kindergartens and early childhood education services catering minimum pay rates are set by that Board at 11 Fijian dollars per to at least 10 children aged five and above are required to be hours for those with a certificate level qualification, 15 Fijian established in accordance with the Establishment and Recognition/ dollars per hours for diploma level qualified staff, and 18 Fijian Registration of Schools Policy 2011. The Asset and Monitoring dollars per hours for those with an ECE degree. The infrastructure Unit (AMU) of the MoE is responsible for implementation this grant is available on a case-by-case basis. policy and regulating the quality standards of kindergartens. 46 TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI Registration of Day Care Centers Poverty Alleviation (MWCPA) play in the processing of daycare Currently there are no regulations governing licensing or quality center licenses. New applicants are reportedly often directed to control of ECCE centers that provide services for children below MoE and MWCPA to get approvals even when the services are for five years of age. There are no provisions governing child-to-staff children below five years, and are subsequently told that they do ratios, child protection, health and safety, cleanliness, nutrition, not require a license. infection control, or the qualifications of caregivers working in ECCE Staff and Training childcare facilities. Accessing suitably qualified and experience staff is reportedly a challenge for ECCE service providers, particularly when it comes To establish an ECCE center for children below age five, the to staff to care for younger children who require assistance with center must be registered as a business with the Fiji Registrar of nappies or toileting and feeding. Daycare providers have reported Companies Office and a business license obtained with the local that they generally hire only staff with at least a certificate level town or city council. The Business Licensing Act 1976 governs ECCE qualification, however this can create challenges when it licensing by local councils and lists the categories of businesses comes to providing adequate care for younger children and infants that require licenses. Daycare centers or childcare services are as those with formal qualifications prefer to focus on education not listed in any of the categories of businesses that require a rather than care services. Based on feedback from the MoE and license. Suva City Council however lists daycare centers in the daycare centers across Fiji, the current training system is not ‘administration’ category, which is used for businesses that are producing enough students with qualifications and skills suitable to not specifically mentioned in the legislation and requires them to caring for younger children. obtain a business license if they are operating within the Suva City Council jurisdiction. Nadi Town Council lists daycare centers as a Currently both the University of South Pacific (USP) and Fiji ‘Commercial School’, which requires a business license pursuant to National University (FNU) offer undergraduate courses in ECE the Business Licensing Act. Kindergartens, which provide services – certificate, diploma and degree level courses. The USP courses to at least 10 five-year olds, are not required to register with range from one year for a certificate level with 12 weeks of Registrar of Companies Office unless the center is operating for practical experience, a two-year diploma with 18 weeks of practical commercial gain or as a private for-profit business. experience, and a three-year degree with 25 weeks of practical experience. USP (offered through the Pacific Technical and Further ECCE centers generating annual service fees of less than 100,000 Education center (Pacific TAFE), offers two certificate level courses Fijian dollars are not required to register for Value Added Tax in early childhood education and care, one focused on ECE (VAT). If the service generates annual service fees over 100,000 administration and the other on providing care and education. Fijian dollars however they are required to register with Fiji Revenue and Customs Service and pay the current VAT rate of 9 percent. Pursuant to the Foreign Investment Regulations 2009, the operation of a day care center is listed as a ‘reserved business’ activity, which is prescribed to be available only to Fijian citizens. Reports suggest that the process of obtaining a license to operate a daycare center is often unclear. Feedback from existing providers indicates that both Nadi Town and Suva City Council lack clarity about the role the MoE and Ministry of Women, Children and TACKLING CHILDCARE: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR EMPLOYER-SUPPORTED CHILDCARE IN FIJI 47 Childcare Service Providers ECCE providers noted that the demand for childcare services is There are at least 18 formal childcare service providers, not increasing, especially for children below age five, and because of including kindergartens, operating in the Suva and Nadi areas as this, many centers are taking on more than their current capacity of late 2018 , with 11 interviewed for this report. All 11 of these 20 comfortably allows for. Some are exploring options for expansion, centers are currently being managed by women and are wholly including to take on a wider range of ages. staffed by female caregivers and teachers. Childcare fees range from Parental Leave 15 Fijian dollars to 120 Fijian dollars per day. As of January 2019, pursuant to the Employment Relations (Budget Amendment) Act 2018, women who have been employed for a Business barriers identified by these providers include lack of minimum of 150 days prior to giving birth are entitled to 98 days access to finance to be able to expand their service, coupled of paid maternity leave. The cost of this leave is borne entirely with bureaucratic delays and lack of clarity around registration by employers. Five days of paid family care leave have also been requirements. Accessing land and property on which to develop introduced, which is designed to provide care or support to a childcare centers was also identified as a challenge, with most member of the worker’s immediate family21 or a member of the currently operating out of the residential home of the owner. worker’s household. Employers are eligible to receive a 150 percent Operating hours were noted to be a challenge for some, with a tax rebate on the cost of paternity leave and family care leave, but general business license requiring them to close at 5pm, although no rebate for costs associated with maternity leave. extended hours can be applied for. Most centers are currently open from 7:30am to 5:00pm, in line with the default operating hours under the general business license. Kindergartens on the other hand finish at 1pm. Child protection issues are largely unaddressed in the childcare centers interviewed for this study. None of the centers have a child protection policy, although they do all have OHS protocols, such as requiring the gate to be always closed and requiring visitors to sign in and out. 20 Based on primary research by IFC consultant, including interviews with 11 service providers across Suva and Nadi. 21 Immediate family consists of a worker’s spouse, child, parent and sibling. Image: World Bank / Alana Holmberg. Visit www.ifc.org/gender/EAP to find out more AN INITIATIVE OF THE FIJI PARTNERSHIP