Early childhood development (ECD), from birth to 6, occupies an ambivalent space within a system ranging from birth to 9. Professional Early Childhood Development Associations and Unions (ECDAUs) are important structures to elevate early learning issues in the context of building quality ECD systems. This article explores issues that ECDAUs encountered in the South African context as they struggled to build professionalism. Socially constructed notions of professionalism and ideas from transformative politics provided the theoretical lenses for the study. Six participants from four associations and one union participated in the study. The findings show that although ECDAUs actively build professionalism, they remain fragile structures in multi-dimensional, complex and rapidly transforming environments. There are attempts to consolidate efforts to move the professionalism/ECD agenda forward. This thrust, however, is stronger from ECD associations than from the union, which still needs to incorporate ECD for 5 to 6 year-olds in its work.
Background: Early childhood development (ECD) centres play a crucial role in children’s well-being. Multifaceted obstacles hinder ECD centres registration. Overcoming these challenges demands a multisectoral approach to ensure quality education for all children. Aim: This study provides an overview of the quality of ECD centres in South Africa, and then focusses on the specific obstacles ECD centres face in registering their centres with the Department of Social Development (DSD). Setting: An ECD census was conducted in nine South African provinces. Methods: This study analysed data from the South Africa ECD Census (2021). The sample size was 42 420; however, this study analysed data for 39 375 for centres who responded to whether they were registered with the DSD across all South Africa’s nine provinces. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Only 16% of ECD centres were in the formal registration process, while 43% were not registered. Barriers included no bank account, a lack of separate classes, and insufficient staff. In multivariate analysis, the absence of a bank account strongly predicted registration barriers (RRR 4.21; CI 6.37–7.62, p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study underscores the critical role of ECD centres in shaping the foundational aspects of children’s lives. There is an urgent need to streamline the ECD registration process. Contribution: The study finds 43% of childcare centres were unregistered, supporting the call for simplified registration to improve access to quality education and reduce educational disparities in South Africa.
Matshidiso V. Sello, Nicole De Wet, Khuthala Mabetha et al.
The discontinuation of government subsidies led to ECD centre privatisation and the rise of community-driven ECD ones, raising concerns about teaching quality and staff qualifications. The study aimed to create a framework for enhancing parental involvement by incorporating insights from both parents and teachers. Theoretical perspectives by Goodall and Montgomery, Vincent, and Bryk highlighted parenting’s significance, socio-economic influence on parental agency, and the need for trust between parents and teachers. The researchers selected two early childhood development centres and asked teachers and parents to participate. Qualitative research methods, including narrative inquiry, vignettes, participatory reflection and action research, and thematic analysis, were used to gather and analyse data from parents and teachers. The findings informed the development of the author’s Framework for the Enhancement of Parental Involvement in Childhood (EPIC), incorporating the key elements identified in previous research, namely parental agency, relational trust, and parental involvement. Parental agency is a characteristic that can be strengthened when teachers provide encouragement and insight into how to engage the child in a meaningful and developmentally appropriate manner. This research led to the design of a framework for enhancing parental involvement by considering the perspectives of both parents and teachers. It is particularly applicable to the pre-primary and foundation phases of preparatory schools where parental involvement is significant. It also benefits the training of prospective teachers, especially those specialising in Early Childhood Education.
Background: the family is central to a child’s development and well-being. Parental understanding of mental health or psychological distress have a significant effect on child development including their mental health. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore parents understanding of mental health in early childhood development. Methods: semi-structured interviews with 12 parents of children in early childhood development were conducted. Five themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) Understanding mental health; (2) Perceptions of parental mental health in relation to the child; (3) Child’s behaviour when experiencing different emotions; (4) Child’s behaviour when witnessing parent’s emotions; and (5) Child’s interaction, confidence, and attitude. Overall, parents were not clear in understanding mental health. They could understand and identify basic emotions but were unable to identify early childhood mental health signs. Recommendations enhancing the knowledge and skills of parents are provided within the capabilities framework.
Fatiema Benjamin, Inge Karla Sonn, Edna Grace Rich et al.
Introduction: The link between sensory integration (SI) dysfunction and learning differences is well-established, highlighting its influence on academic abilities. However, limited research has investigated SI dysfunction patterns in South African children. Aim: This study investigated which patterns of SI dysfunction children attending a short-term remedial school in Kwa-Zulu Natal exhibited. Method: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 35 children’s files, which included data from the Evaluation of Ayres Sensory Integration® (EASI), Sensory Processing Measure (SPM), and Family Life Impact Questionnaire (FLIQ). Descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, and standard deviations) were used to identify sensory integration patterns. Results: Findings indicated that 71,4% of children presented with bilateral integration and sequencing difficulty, while 42.9% of children exhibited somatodyspraxia. Tactile and vestibular perception problems were present in 42.9% of the sample. This population of children displayed increased auditory, tactile and visual sensitivities, praxis difficulties, and postural control challenges in the classroom. At home, difficulties included planning, reactivity to auditory and olfactory input, with daily living, social participation, and community engagement being influenced. Conclusion: These findings contribute to understanding SI in children with learning differences and support intervention planning, classroom adaptations, and caregiver–teacher collaboration. Implications for practice · * A comprehensive Sensory Integration (SI) assessment is crucial for effective intervention planning, including assessing the child’s sensory perception, praxis, sensory reactivity and impact on family life. · * An informed understanding of the patterns of SI dysfunction enables therapists to move beyond generic approaches, allowing for the development of targeted, functionally relevant intervention strategies. · * Targeted intervention planning enhances therapeutic efficacy and supports improved outcomes in daily occupational performance. · * A detailed understanding of the child’s reactivity to sensory input in both classroom and home environments is essential for tailoring appropriate intervention approaches. · * Including daily occupations as a focus within a child’s intervention plan is essential for promoting functional skills. · * Understanding the patterns of SI dysfunction allows for collaboration with educators and caregivers regarding the functional impact of these challenges. It assists in incorporating adjustments such as environmental modifications and regulatory strategies. · * The knowledge gained supports the design of group-based or classroom-level interventions that address commonly observed sensory challenges, therefore extending the reach of occupational therapy services and encouraging equitable support.
Nicola van Ravenswaay, Gina Rencken, Pragashnie Govender
In order to improve school enrolment in Malawi, the government is implementing a School Feeding Programme (SFP) in Chikwawa, one of the worst hit Tropical Cyclone Freddy towns where thousands of people died and others displaced with extensive crops, animals and infrastructure damage in Malawi. Despite well implemented programme, there remains a need to comprehensively assess the impact of the SFP on Children’s Anthropometry and Learning outcome. The study aims to assess the effects of the programme on school children’s Anthropometry and Learning outcome. It is hoped that this study will help establish the impact of School Feeding Programme and its role in improving Anthropometry and Learning outcomes. This will help inform policy makers who make research based policies that benefit children in schools. A quantitative research with a between-subjects cross-sectional quasi-experimental design comparing three SFP and three non-SFP preschools were sampled through multi-staged stratified random sampling technique in Chikwawa District in Malawi. Two hundred and eight preschool children were administered with Zambia Child Assessment tools (ZamCAT). Data variables were analyzed and generated descriptive and inferential statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20), WHO anthro and STATA version 17 to determine significant differences and relationship between Anthropometry and Learning outcomes. The results revealed a relationship; a marginal positive relationship was found between MUAC and letter naming scores (R=0.46). The study also found that relationship existed between height for age and letter naming scores (R=0.37). Therefore, policies on SFP in early education should be promoted with a scale up to other districts to ensure that children develop optimally and holistically as they pursue their education. Future research should also be done on a large scale longitudinally to further evaluate the effect of SFP on school trajectories and the modification effect of socio-economic status.
BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) in South Africa widely use job-aids as practical tools to enhance the provision of HIV services, thereby improving patient-provider interactions during the care process. Job-aids are visual support materials that provide appropriate information using graphics and words in a simple and yet effective manner. We explored the mechanism through the KidzAlive Talk tool storybook (Talk tool), a child-centred job-aid for HCWs that facilitates child-participation during HIV consultations in primary healthcare (PHC) clinics implementing the KidzAlive model. METHODS: The study was conducted in PHC clinics across four districts; namely: uMkhanyakude, Zululand, uMgungundlovu, and eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. We conducted in-depth interviews with children (n = 30), their primary caregivers (PCGs) (n = 30), and KidzAlive trained and mentored HCWs (n = 20). Data were collected in both English and isiZulu languages through user-specific, structured in-depth interviews. All the interviews were audio-recorded (with participants' assent and consent, respectively). Data were transcribed verbatim, prior to translating the isiZulu transcripts to English. Translations were done by a member of the research team competent in both languages. Electronic data were imported to NVivo 10 for analysis and subsequently analysed using a thematic analysis method followed by a constant comparative and modified grounded theory analysis method. RESULTS: The findings identified the following barriers to child-participation: Primary caregiver limiting the child's involvement due to fear of traumatising them; HCWs' limited knowledge and skills to deliver child-centred HIV care; childhood developmental stage-related limitations and healthcare institutional paternalism. The Talk tool addresses the above barriers by using simple language and terminology to cater for children at various stages of development; alleviating HCWs' and PCGs' fear of possible psychological harm to the child; using storytelling and colourful cartoon illustrations for child edutainment; Being versatile by allowing for multiple utility and tackling institutional paternalism that limit child-involvement in the process of care. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided evidence on how the Talk tool storybook addresses barriers to child-participation in the HIV care process. The evidence generated from this study is compelling enough to recommend the scale-up of this innovation in low-resource settings.
The blockchain technology impacts the supply chain and allows the creation of smart contract. This contract is executed digitally and securely without the presence of a middleman when all requirements are met. West and Central Africa countries produce 70% of world’s cocoa, while child labour is an issue as millions of children work in that sector. This paper contribution is mainly to enlighten smart contract adoption with respect to child abuse and to contribute to strategies for child labour reduction.
Rosaire Brice Senou, Jules Dégila, Esther Chabi Adjobo et al.
Child labour has been of national and international concern since as early as the 1860s. In 2019 the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution that 2021 would be the year by which child labour would be eliminated. However, much must still be done to effect this. By studying legislation and literature, I identified different forms of child labour that I go on to discuss in this article. When I explored the notion of child labour from three perspectives on childhood, namely the romanticised view of childhood, the view that children must participate in child labour, and the belief that children need to be protected from the abuse and exploitation seen to be inherent in their working, I came to understand the tensions in conceptualising this concept. I further problematise child labour as an educational issue. One of the purposes of the South African compulsory school curriculum as articulated in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) is to facilitate the transition of learners from education institutions to their future workplaces. I argue that CAPS should provide in-depth knowledge on the meaning of child labour in its different forms. For the purposes of this research, I analysed all the compulsory school curricula documents for Grades 1 to 9 by means of document analysis. My main finding is that CAPS does address some forms of child labour, but it does not address those forms (child work and illegal labour) with which most children would likely be confronted. Also, it does not address hazardous forms of child labour nor trafficking in child labour. More research is needed to determine if there are correlations between the results of this explorative document analysis and the received curriculum so that a curriculum response to address child labour can be articulated.
Children of a Bitter Harvest: Child Labour in the Cape Winelands is made up of over 100 interconnected short stories that document moments in the lives of children who worked in the heart of South Africa's wine industry between 1998 and 2010, and are framed further by the farm uprisings of 2012. The stories are framed by the more recent 'farm strikes' in the Western Cape. The children in the book not all of whom managed to survive AIDS are now young adults in a new South Africa that ostensibly offers them certain freedoms to overcome the shackles of race and class domination. However, without the kind of radical economic restructuring that would make this possible, all of the children remain extremely poor adults. As documented by the author, child labour of the 1990s inevitably gave way to adult labour, with the breath between childhood and adulthood as tender as it is tenuous. We are a nation that has managed to end the brutality of apartheid, but not one that has managed to replace brutality itself.
