Aga Khan University established the Children’s Day Care Centre in 1990, thereby setting an example to other organizations aspiring to become an ‘Employer of Choice’. The Day Care Centre (DCC) at AKU is a unique facility which provides childcare services for faculty and staff with young children. This facility has been provided to encourage the female faculty, nurses and other staff to continue work and pursue their careers at AKU.
The objective of the Centre is to ensure that the children are well looked after, so that their parents can perform their duties with peace of mind. Children between the ages of three months to three years are eligible. The Centre is well equipped with play and educational material that contributes toward the physical and mental well-being of the children. Regular visits by pediatricians, nurses and dietitians are also conducted.
Children are provided a regular mid-day meal at the DCC. However, milk, special feeds, and any other food items required by the children needs to be supplied to DCC by the parents. Parents are required to give specific instructions to the DCC staff regarding method of preparation, quantity, timings, etc. In addition to this, children are taught basic pre-school skills which facilitate their admission into good schools. A play area, adjoining the DCC premises, is used to develop motor skills through supervised physical activities. The DCC can comfortably accommodate thirty children at a time. It functions from 0700 hours to 1730 hours, Monday through Saturday.
The Day Care Centre at Aga Khan University is recognized as one of the best initiatives taken to retain female employees. It is yet another facet of AKU’s total care philosophy which extends equally to staff as well as patients.
