Some investors still put profit first.

In recent times, with the rapid development of society, many apartments have sprung up, especially in large cities. Apartment projects have contributed to solving the housing problem for people, especially children, to have the best home to develop safely and healthily.

However, besides that, because the development speed is too fast, the legal system cannot keep up to regulate the operation and management of apartment buildings from the construction organization, post-inspection,... there have been tragic accidents.

In the discussion “Identifying criteria for safe and happy apartments for children”, held on August 2, Mr. Ha Dinh Bon, Vice President of the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Children’s Rights, said that there are 3 reasons leading to risks and lack of safety in some apartments today.

Firstly, from the family side, parents have the responsibility to care for and nurture their children, but in reality, they do not have soft skills and do not pay close attention to and follow up with their children.

Second, the apartment design of railings, room doors,... does not ensure distance and design.

Third, the legal regulations on the Construction Law, the Children Law, and the Housing Law have been closely followed, but there are still contents that need to be further supplemented in the new situation. The situation of encroachment and occupation of playgrounds has not been thoroughly resolved.

“We can see many heartbreaking and tragic incidents that have happened to children, such as children getting stuck in elevators, falling from balconies, or children’s play areas in apartments with limited space and lack of amenities, leaving children with few opportunities to play. Or in Hanoi, some fires and explosions in apartments have caused human casualties, including children. These are all cases with serious consequences,” said Mr. Bon.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh, Vice President of the Vietnam Real Estate Association and President of the Real Estate Brokerage Association, said that a survey of the construction density of apartment buildings in large urban areas shows that many investors prioritize business interests and often think about how to exploit the economy effectively, rather than focusing on upgrading infrastructure and building entertainment areas to serve the lives of people, especially children.

“The thinking of developers and some investors still puts profit first, and the thinking about utilities still has certain limitations. Many projects in key areas do not meet the requirements of safety and children's play space,” said Mr. Dinh.

According to Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh, the monitoring, inspection and examination units have not yet reviewed, the inspection and approval stages from the project, design to the construction testing have not ensured consistency, and have not received full attention from investors. In the system of regulations on project development and housing, there are still some missing regulations and specific instructions on child safety.

Home buying criteria for couples with children

From the current situation in apartment buildings, experts have come up with the most comprehensive and comprehensive identification system for child-safe apartment criteria.

Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh gives factors that parents need to pay attention to in order to choose a safe and happy apartment project:

Firstly, the investor's awareness of the quality of life, especially for children, such as whether the investor really cares about creating a good living environment for children right from the design stage, do they invest in building facilities such as schools, playgrounds, and spaces dedicated to children to meet the developmental needs of young children.

Second is the safety of children in common spaces such as corridors, elevators, emergency stairs, especially entertainment areas, is it designed to ensure absolute safety for children, does the investor pay attention to installing safety equipment, minimizing risks that may occur to children?

Third is the community of residents. Do the residents in the apartment building create a friendly, safe and healthy living environment for children? Do they care about the care and protection of children to create a cohesive community together?

Regarding the issue of choosing a house for families with young children, Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha, Chairman of Landora Group, said that choosing a safe and happy apartment project for children requires careful consideration of many factors, and at the same time, he proposed 6 criteria for young couples to ensure the safety of the apartment.

Firstly, in terms of physical safety, you should choose an apartment with a safe design with windows, balconies, stairs and doors equipped with child protection measures, prioritizing projects with 24/7 security camera systems, safety equipment and regular maintenance.

Second, regarding the environment and landscape, there must be parks, green gardens, spacious playgrounds and natural spaces for children to play and explore. Ensure that the apartment is located in an area with good air quality and clean water sources, and the drainage and environmental sanitation systems must ensure no pollution or flooding.

Third, in terms of services and amenities, there should be a medical room or a nearby medical facility for the convenience of taking care of children's health. Ensure that the apartment building has a modern fire alarm and escape system, and regular fire drills. In addition, there should be educational facilities, a nursery, or a safe shuttle service.

Fourth, about mental and educational development. Parents should choose an apartment building that organizes educational, sports, and artistic activities for children and their families. The community is friendly and regularly organizes bonding activities to help children develop social skills.

Fifth, in terms of management and service, parents need to ensure that the management team is experienced, enthusiastic and child-friendly. The apartment building must have 24/7 security service and staff trained to handle emergency situations involving children.

Sixth, parents need to ensure that family and domestic workers are trained and know how to supervise and protect children. Work closely with management to promptly report safety issues, incidents or potential hazards.