Health and Family Services Minister Patrice Minors' decision to launch a review of the regulations for day care centres is belated, but nonetheless welcome.

The decision has been sparked in part by the conviction last week of Jacquelyn Fubler on charges of assaulting ten-month-old Stephen Ebbin, causing severe injuries and potentially long lasting brain damage.

What is disturbing is that the Ministry has not reviewed its regulations since the time of the offence in 2001.

Only public outcry now and revelations that Mrs. Furbert's day care centre had never been inspected sparked the review.

While Ms Furbert's conviction ? and to be fair, she has not had a chance to give her side of the story yet ? is an example of the worst that can happen in a day care or nursery, the need for proper supervision of these centres is essential for a much wider range of reasons.

The high cost of living and the demands placed on families today means that the image of the stay-at-home mother in Bermuda is dead, except in the wealthiest homes.

For the rest of the community, regardless of whether there is a mother and father at home or if it is headed by a single parent, going to work and leaving children in the care of others from infancy to the time they go to primary school is the reality.

That places caregivers in an extraordinarily sensitive position, because they are entirely responsible for the wellbeing of the children in their care for upwards of eight hours a day.

Everyone in the community has heard horror stories of babies being placed out of necessity in baby barns without adequate facilities or staffing. Caring for an infant or toddler is strenuous and demanding work.

As one parent told , a commitment to give an infant undivided attention eight times a day (for four feedings and four diaper changes) simply is not good enough.

At the moment, the regulations require that any day care that looks after up to three children must be registered. Any centre that cares for more than three children must be licensed and is subject to an annual inspection.

It's debatable whether this is enough.

While there are recommendations on the number of caregivers per child, these do not appear to be requirements. And while the day care centre is required to keep a record of the qualifications of staff, there is no requirement that staff actually have qualifications.

Part of the problem is that demand for care simply outstrips supply. That makes it easy for moonlighters to set up operations for parents who are desperate for any level of care.

And policing unregistered centres simply does not seem to happen.

The other problem is the idea that "anyone" can care for a child. This just isn't true. But until there is a recognition that child care is a demanding task that not just "anyone" is suited to, that opinion will not change.

And that is where the focus of the review should be.