The Shandong Provincial People's Government has officially released a new regulatory opinion aimed at addressing long-standing issues with after-school care facilities for primary and secondary school students, including unclear standards, ambiguous responsibilities, and supervision challenges. This marks the first time the province has introduced a comprehensive set of requirements at the provincial level, covering everything from business registration and site safety to gas usage and food service permits. The rules establish a clear compliance "red line" for all student after-school care providers in the region. The policy will take effect on September 16, 2026, and remain in force until September 15, 2031.

The new opinion clearly defines the scope of after-school care institutions: they are facilities within the province, operated by citizens, legal entities, or other organizations, that provide services such as pick-up, rest, and supervision for primary and secondary school students outside of school hours. However, recognizing the existing practice of parent-led mutual care, the rules explicitly exempt groups of fewer than five students where parents provide mutual assistance. Regarding access standards, institutions must obtain proper business qualifications. For-profit establishments must register for a business license with the scope "student after-school care services," while non-profit ones must register as civilian non-enterprise units.

To address safety concerns, the opinion imposes strict restrictions on the location of care facilities. They must be housed in spaces that comply with fire safety laws and national standards. Facilities cannot be located in the same building as places that produce, store, or use flammable or explosive materials. They must not be set up in basements, semi-basements, buildings with metal sandwich panels where the core material's combustion performance is below Grade A, or storage warehouses. Care facilities must have clearly marked safety exits and evacuation routes. New construction, renovation, or expansion projects must undergo fire safety design review, acceptance, or filing procedures. If using gas, institutions must equip themselves with compliant stoves and valves and install combustible gas concentration alarms. Those providing food services must obtain a food service permit. For small food preparation areas under 50 square meters that do not meet the full permit requirements, a small catering registration is sufficient. When ordering from external suppliers, institutions must choose suppliers with valid food service permits and good social reputations, with a preference for those with collective meal delivery qualifications.

The opinion emphasizes that after-school care institutions must not disguise themselves as off-campus education or training providers for students, nor can they post related advertisements. The education department will investigate and address such violations. In terms of food safety, institutions providing meals must meet the standards of the "General Hygienic Practice for Catering Services" (GB31654-2021), covering equipment, raw material procurement, and processing controls. They are encouraged to implement a food safety management system similar to school cafeterias and to use video to display food preparation processes. They should avoid preparing and serving high-risk foods such as cold dishes, raw foods, decorated cakes, and items like green beans, fresh daylily, wild mushrooms, and sprouted potatoes. When ordering from external suppliers, signing a food safety responsibility agreement is recommended. Additionally, all staff who handle ready-to-eat food must undergo annual health checks and obtain health certificates.

Institutional fire safety responsibilities are also emphasized. Institutions must organize fire drills for all staff at least once per quarter and conduct fire safety training and evacuation drills for students at least once every six months. They are prohibited from installing barriers like metal grilles or billboards on windows that could hinder escape. For daily management, institutions must display their licenses and fee structures in a prominent location. Where possible, they should install video surveillance covering all main activity areas. They must also strengthen communication during pick-up and drop-off, and are encouraged to report student rosters and pick-up personnel identities to the relevant schools.

The new policy establishes a multi-departmental oversight mechanism based on "government leadership, local management, departmental collaboration, and social co-governance." Numerous departments, including education, public security, civil affairs, housing, market regulation, and fire services, will work together to form a regulatory force. Joint inspections will be conducted at the start of each spring and fall semester. For existing institutions, the rules promote a differentiated approach rather than a blanket "one-size-fits-all" method. Those lacking proper business or food permits will be guided to obtain them. Those with incomplete fire safety review procedures will be given a deadline to rectify the issue. Institutions located in basements, semi-basements, or dangerous buildings that pose significant safety or fire risks will be dealt with decisively to protect the bottom line of safety. The opinion also encourages communities, trade unions, the Communist Youth League, and women's federations to offer public welfare, affordable care services, and supports employers in providing holiday care for their employees' children to help alleviate the burden on parents.