Young childreni need to be supported in various ways to
ensure their well-being and development. Such support is
encapsulated in rights guaranteed by the Constitution and
international treaties that South Africa has agreed to.1
The provision
of early childhood development (ECD) services can be regarded
as a public good, based on the recognition that ECD services not
only contribute to the development and outcomes of the child, but
also to the growth and development of society as a whole in the
medium and long term.2
South African policiesii and the National Development Plan3 (NDP)
recognise the state’s responsibility for children’s development by
emphasising the need for an effective and integrated system to
ensure essential ECD services are accessible to all, especially those
children whose development is most at risk. The Children’s Act also
requires the state to develop a “properly resourced, coordinated
and managed early childhood development system”.4
A window of opportunity to redefine ECD services in South
Africa is currently open and calls for a model to be put forward that
will take into account policy and legislative frameworks; recent
reviews and recommendations; and rigorous scientific evidence to
ensure an integrated, transformed ECD system rooted in quality,
scale, access and investment.
Currently there is a significant gap between the visioniii and
policy and the realities of limited access and poor quality.5
As South
Africa is embarking on a strategic and targeted transformation
of ECD service provision, the transformation agenda should be
supported by a well-designed, funded and implemented system.
This essay explores three questions:
• What is required for effective service delivery?
• What are the current obstacles to effective delivery?
• What systemic changes are needed to support effective service
delivery?