Since 1953, the Department of Social Welfare has been operating social welfare services. Regarding Child Welfare Services, (2) residential nurseries, (32) Day Care Centers and (10) Pre-Primary schools were started as center-based services operating in 1962.

     Although parents take care of their children affectionately in accordance with Myanmar tradition, they are unable to take care of their children all the time at present due to the changing economic systems and social patterns since women’s participation in job placement.

Objectives

-      To nurture the 0-8 aged children lack of guardian and socially    disadvantaged for their holistic development

-      To take care of the children through Early Childhood Development essence

-      To continue nurturing the over 8 years old children who are weak in physical and mental development

-      To provide adoption service in line with Child Law in order to enjoy and a normal family life

-      To take measure to provide primary education for 5 to 8 years old children

     Regarding preschool education, Preschool Curriculum and Syllabus, Guideline of caring for children under three years old and teachers guide on preschool Curriculum were developed and published by the Department. These books are utilized as guideline for preschool education.

     The trainings on early childhood care and development, and trainings on parental education were conducted in the Social Welfare Training School and respective Regions and States for the teachers from private and public preschools.

          Moreover trainings and workshops on capacity building for the caregivers, awareness raising to the parents and community members and establishing voluntary preschools were accomplished with the collaboration of INGOs and NGOs.

Since the center-based child care service was not sufficient to meet the all-round development of the children in the country, community based child care and development service was initiated in 2007. In collaboration with UNICEF(Myanmar), the department started operating community based mother circles for all-round development of the children under the age of three.