A search for cheaper childcare has led some Dubai families to places that were never meant to look after children. Dubai Police said on Friday that they have arrested 34 people in connection with 33 nurseries operating without a licence across the emirate.
What police found
According to the force, some of the facilities ran out of residential buildings. They were not designed or equipped for childcare and failed to meet basic standards of hygiene and safety. Police said some offered low-cost services aimed at families unable to afford fees at licensed nurseries, advertising cheaper places while operating without the oversight the law requires.
The arrests followed field inspections and investigations. Dubai Police worked with Dubai Municipality, the Community Development Authority and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism in a joint campaign meant to clamp down on unlicensed childcare and strengthen child protection.
How the cases came to light
Police said search and investigation teams received information about nurseries operating in several parts of the emirate. Officers identified the locations and placed them under surveillance. They then raided the premises together with partner authorities, which led to the 34 arrests. Police did not say how many children were present at the time, whether any were harmed or what charges the suspects face.
Why the risks are serious
The force was blunt about the danger. It said the problem with these nurseries lies in their operating outside childcare regulations, in places unequipped to receive children, with low hygiene and no safety standards. It added that the lack of institutional oversight of staff exposes children to neglect or abuse.
A licensed nursery is subject to inspection. It has set standards for premises, staffing and safety, and regulators who can step in when something goes wrong. An unlicensed flat has none of that. A parent may never see who is supervising their child, what qualifications that person holds or whether basic safeguards exist.
The cost-of-living pressure
The cases touch a sensitive issue. Childcare is a significant expense for many families, and advertising that promises a lower price can be persuasive, particularly in residential communities where word of mouth travels quickly. Police explicitly urged parents not to be lured by such offers or to base decisions on fees alone. Affordability, the force said, should never come before a child’s health, safety and security.
What parents can do
Police and the partner authorities pointed parents toward a few practical steps.
Check the licence first. Confirm that a nursery holds a valid official licence before enrolling a child.
Look at the premises. A genuine nursery should have appropriate space, clean facilities and visible safety measures.
Be cautious with informal ads. Social media and community-group offers are not a substitute for official verification.
Report concerns. Residents can contact the Dubai Police call centre on 901, or use the force’s website or smart application, to report a suspected unlicensed operation.
A wider message to providers
Police stressed that anyone offering childcare must comply with the laws, licensing conditions and regulations that govern nursery operations. The force described the arrests as part of continuing efforts to protect children and crack down on practices that endanger them, which suggests further inspections are likely.
For parents, the practical lesson is simple. Verifying a licence takes a few minutes, whereas the consequences of leaving a child somewhere unsafe can be far greater. For the authorities, the challenge is that unlicensed operators often work out of ordinary apartments, which makes them hard to spot without tip-offs from neighbours.
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