Dubai: Dubai Police have arrested 34 suspects for operating 33 unlicensed nurseries in various areas of the emirate. Some were located inside residential buildings and in places unequipped for childcare, lacking hygiene, health and safety requirements, thereby exposing children to the risks of neglect and abuse. These nurseries primarily target low-income families by offering childcare services at low fees, away from the oversight and regulations governing this activity.
The arrests were made during field campaigns and investigative operations carried out by Dubai Police, in cooperation with Dubai Municipality, the Community Development Authority, and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, as part of joint efforts to curb the spread of unlicensed nurseries, enhance child protection, and intervene proactively to prevent potential risks and crimes.
Dubai Police revealed that units inside residential buildings were being exploited to operate a childcare service without obtaining the necessary licences, primarily targeting low-income families seeking childcare at costs that suit their financial means, given that licensed nurseries are costly for some families.
The Force added: "The danger of these nurseries lies in their operating outside childcare regulations, in locations unequipped to receive children, with low hygiene levels and no safety standards. These conditions, combined with the absence of institutional oversight of their staff, expose children to neglect or abuse."
Dubai Police stated that search and investigation teams, after receiving information, identified a number of nurseries operating illegally in various areas of the emirate. The teams placed the locations under surveillance and, in coordination with partner entities, carried out raids that resulted in the arrest of the violators.
The Force affirmed that the campaigns are part of its continuous efforts to protect children and address practices that threaten their safety, stressing the importance of complying with the laws and requirements regulating the work of nurseries, and avoiding exposing children to risks by placing them in locations not designated or equipped to provide childcare services.
Dubai Police called on parents, especially from resident communities, not to be swayed by advertisements promoting unlicensed nursery services or to decide on registering their children based solely on low fees, stressing the need to verify that a nursery holds an official licence before enrolling their children.
Furthermore, they stressed that children's safety must be a priority when choosing childcare places, and that lower cost should not come at the expense of their security and health. The Force also called on community members to cooperate with the competent authorities and report any suspicious activities or locations operating childcare services illegally, by calling 901, or through Dubai Police's website or smart application.