This chapter is intended to help bridge the divide that frequently exists between investments focused on child survival and investments focused on early childhood development. The aim is to illustrate the complementary nature of these two imperatives - survival and development - and to explain how both can be advanced through an integrated strategy driven by a common sense.
Abstract Understanding how modern technology plays a role in our children’s early development is especially crucial in this era of technological advancement. Never in human history have we seen such an exponential shift in the human experience than we have with the rise of the internet and the subsequent mass integration of technology into our daily lives. Put simply, times have changed, and our understanding of early childhood development must follow suit. This thesis explores the impact digital technologies have on the neurodevelopment of children, with regard to different critical periods in early childhood development. The apparent impacts on attention, memory, and focus, as well as the behavioral manifestations that result from these childhood interactions depend greatly on the critical period of neurodevelopment they occur. This thesis provides evidence and recommendations for parents and caretakers alike, advising parents on the perils associated with overexposure to sensory stimuli in infants, while demanding a more tailored approach technology mediation in adolescents, as the advent of social media presents its own unique perils and potentials for early neurodevelopment. Keywords: neurodevelopment, technology, infancy, adolescence
Purpose: This study aimed to explore the key factors that influence the success of Early Childhood Development (ECD) projects within Kisii County, Kenya. The study focused on four main objectives: to evaluate the impact of stakeholder involvement on the sustainability of ECD projects, to examine how the allocation of financial resources affects project outcomes, to assess the influence of conducting feasibility studies on project success, and to determine the effect of monitoring and evaluation practices on the long-term viability of County Government-supported ECD centers. Methodology: The target population consisted of 246 individuals, including school headteachers, county officials, and PTA chairpersons. A sample of 149 participants was selected. Data collection was conducted through a structured questionnaire, which was later coded and analyzed using SPSS software, with technical support from a data analyst. Statistical tools such as frequency distributions, means, and standard deviations were employed, and the chi-square test was applied to test the research hypotheses. Findings: Results indicated that stakeholder participation plays a significant role in the effectiveness of ECD projects. This was supported by a chi-square value of 14.3, which exceeded the critical threshold of 9.488 at a 95% confidence level, leading to the acceptance of the alternative hypothesis. Similarly, financial allocation was found to significantly influence project performance, as demonstrated by a chi-square value of 38.7. The study also found that feasibility assessments are vital to project success. This was confirmed by a chi-square result of 46.4, which surpassed the critical value. Additionally, monitoring and evaluation processes were shown to be critical for project sustainability, supported by a chi-square value of 35.1. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: Based on these findings, the study recommended further research in Kisii County and other regions to investigate additional variables, such as the role of political influences and policy frameworks on the implementation and performance of ECD programs.
Early childhood development is critical for children’s optimal development. This is even more so for children with disabilities who are often confronted with barriers preventing them from reaching their full potential. In this regard, it is estimated that only 5 per cent of children with disabilities are attending early childhood development programmes in South Africa. The rights of South African children with disabilities to early childhood development in line with international law against the backdrop of the Constitution and national legislation are evaluated. South Africa’s compliance with the rights embodied in these instruments are indicated. Suggestions for improvements are made.
The international recognition of the critical importance of the early childhood phase has been firmly established through decades of rigorous research, evidence-based practices, and undeniable evidence of the returns on investment made during this formative period. Consequently, early childhood development has emerged as a top priority on both national and international agendas. This momentum reached a pinnacle in 2015 with the unanimous adoption of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations, which placed a particular emphasis on children under the age of five within the education-focused SDG 4, notably target 4.2, centered on ensuring that all girls and boys are ready for primary education through the provision of accessible "quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education". However, the Global South reflects the glaring omission of addressing the needs of children at risk of poor development due to disabilities. This paper underscores the imperative for specialized early childhood intervention tailored to young children with disabilities and their families, commencing as early as possible following birth. It advocates for Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) as a service distinct from general Early Childhood Development (ECD), emphasizing the crucial role of families as active partners from the outset. Furthermore, the paper strengthens the case for Family-Centered Early Childhood Intervention (Fc-ECI) through the integration of evidence-based practices and an in-depth description of one such program in South Africa with specific reference to deaf and hard-of-hearing infants and their families. This model will be guided by core concepts outlined in WHO and UNICEF Early Childhood Intervention frameworks. Through this exploration, the paper aims to shed light on the urgent need for inclusive approaches to early childhood development, particularly for children with disabilities, and to advocate for the adoption of Family-Centered Early Childhood Intervention as a cornerstone of global efforts to ensure the holistic well-being and development of all children.
Building a strong foundation for healthy development in the early years of life is a prerequisite for individual well-being, economic productivity, and harmonious societies around the world. Growing scientific evidence also demonstrates that social and physical environments that threaten human development (because of scarcity, stress, or instability) can lead to short-term physiologic and psychological adjustments that are necessary for immediate survival and adaptation, but which may come at a significant cost to long-term outcomes in learning, behavior, health, and longevity. Generally speaking, ministries of health prioritize child survival and physical well-being, ministries of education focus on schooling, ministries of finance promote economic development, and ministries of welfare address breakdowns across multiple domains of function. Advances in the biological and social sciences offer a unifying framework for generating significant societal benefits by catalyzing greater synergy across these policy sectors. This synergy could inform more effective and efficient investments both to increase the survival of children born under adverse circumstances and to improve life outcomes for those who live beyond the early childhood period yet face high risks for diminished life prospects.
This article interrogates early childhood development (ECD) provisioning in the province of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It argues that while well-structured and integrated early childhood development ECD) programmes are at the epicentre of sustainable national human resource development (HRD) strategies, the Eastern Cape’s infant mortality rate (IMR) of 61.2 per 1000 live births is the highest in South Africa. It reaches alarming rates of 99 deaths per 1000 live births in the eastern part of the province where poverty is rife. This scenario mirrors national trends in that while South Africa is rated as an upper middle-income country and a prominent economy that accounts for over 75% of the entire SADC’s GDP, 40% of its young children grow up in abject poverty. It argues that in order for the Eastern Cape to be competitive and sustainable in the long term, the provincial government needs to invest heavily in the well-being of children through well-structured and sustainable ECD programs.
Background Access to natural resources is fundamental to human wellbeing. We aimed to disentangle the multiple pathways through which fishery resources benefit early childhood development. Although evidence has linked fish consumption and early childhood development, differences in nutrient content across fish species and the role of fishing income might modify or extend how fishery access shapes child development. To address these gaps, we examined how the species of fish consumed affects early childhood development and disentangled the effects of fishing income and fish consumption. Methods In this longitudinal cohort study, we analysed data from fishing households around Lake Victoria, Kenya, surveyed at nine timepoints between December, 2012, and April, 2015. We used a statistical approach that implemented fixed-effects in structural equation models to investigate how child consumption of two predominant fish species and household fishing income affected child gross motor, personal–social, and communication development scores. Findings Consumption of only one of the two predominant fish species significantly benefited all three child development outcomes. Fishing income significantly increased gross motor and personal–social development. The sizes of these significant effects of fish consumption and fishing income were similar (ranging from 0·10 SD unit, 90% CI 0·03–0·18 to 0·18 SD unit, 90% CI 0·09–0·28). Fishing income significantly increased child development scores through its effect on child growth. Interpretation Natural resources provide for multiple pathways linking human and ecosystem health. Disentangling these pathways is crucial to fostering sustainable ecosystem management that preserves health benefits, such as the early childhood development benefits of fish access within fishing communities. Funding National Science Foundation.
Ranaivo Rasolofoson, Erin M. Milner, Brian J. Mattah et al.
Focusing on the realities of early childhood development in South Africa and other resource-constrained settings, Early childhood development and intervention in a majority world context: A multi-disciplinary perspective brings together interdisciplinary scholarship that responds to the urgent need for locally grounded evidence and contextually relevant interventions. As the third volume in the Human Functioning, Technology and Health Book Series, the book presents contributions from researchers across the health, education and social sciences, offering new insights into the complex factors shaping the well-being and development of young children and their families. The volume examines the realities influencing child development in the early years, including poverty, prenatal exposure to harmful substances, HIV, unequal access to services and broader social and cultural influences on health and education. Across a wide range of themes — from maternal mental health, nutrition and feeding, to language development, hearing, play, motor development and education — the contributors demonstrate how context-sensitive interventions can improve developmental outcomes and advance equitable access to care and support. A distinctive strength of this volume lies in its Afrocentric and evidence-based approach. Much of the existing literature on early childhood development originates in resource-rich, minority-world settings, whereas this collection foregrounds research conducted largely in the Western Cape province and other South African contexts. By documenting the lived realities of local populations, including children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders, premature infants and children living with HIV, the book expands current knowledge while addressing gaps rarely explored in previous scholarship. The volume also highlights innovative service-delivery models and community-based interventions designed to overcome barriers to health and educational services. In doing so, it provides valuable insights for scholars, clinicians, researchers, practitioners, policymakers and postgraduate students seeking to strengthen early childhood development systems and promote socially responsive, contextually relevant child development practices. Rich in interdisciplinary insight and grounded in local realities, this book makes an important contribution to the growing body of research aimed at improving developmental outcomes for vulnerable children in South Africa and beyond.
This paper discusses the use of the internet in parenting for early childhood development. This research departs from the phenomenon of many parents giving gadgets and the internet so that children do not interfere with the activities that are being carried out by parents. Therefore, gadgets are a solution to make it easier for parents to do activities, especially gadgets providing online and offline games. Not only that, there is a lot of video content available online that parents consider in parenting. Parents should be active in devising strategies to protect children in the use of the internet and gadgets. One of the steps that parents can take is to find references to the right use of the internet for early childhood. This research is a qualitative research with a descriptive approach. The data collection technique in this study is that the authors collect data through interviews with parents who use the internet in parenting. In addition, the research data of this article is strengthened by research data carried out by other research through literature reviews such as journals, proceedings, books, and online media. This study was conducted to identify the phenomenon of internet use among parents in parenting. The goal is to explore the use of the internet and its impact on early childhood development
