Practices of early childhood development practitioners for poor and vulnerable children from birth to four years in South Africa

Abstract

This article explores the practices undertaken by early childhood development practitioners (ECDPs) to support poor and vulnerable children from birth to four years outside centre‐based provision. The article draws on part of a UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Fund) commissioned evaluation on family and community‐based ECD (Early Childhood Development) programme in the Free State Province of South Africa. The respondents in the study were ECDPs, managers and participants in community projects. The data were produced through interviews, focus group interviews, site visits and document analysis. The findings suggest that ECDPs play an enabling and facilitating role through multiple practices to reach young children and their families both in their immediate and broader environments. Challenges emerge from a lack of recognition of ECDPs as public service workers and contextual factors in poor and vulnerable circumstances. The article concludes with policy implications.

Keywords:

• early childhood care and education
• families
• communities
• poor
• practice
• policy

Acknowledgements

This article is based on work commissioned by UNICEF on Early Childhood Development Programmes as Resources for the Care and Support of Poor and Vulnerable Young Children: Free State Province, grant number 2006/0185‐01 and undertaken in 2008‐9. Any opinion, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in the article are those of the authors and UNICEF, therefore, does not accept any liability in regard thereto.