Unisa online - CEDU dialogue for the better development and care of children

The College of Education hosted an Early Childhood Development and Care (ECDC) colloquium on 29 November 2011 to promote dialogue around issues in ECDC with the aim of improving service delivery in the sector. The colloquium conducted by the distinguished research fellow, Prof Linda Richter of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), was the initiative of the Office of the Presidency supported by UNICEF.

The event, organised by Dr Ellen Lenyai, was attended by several role players in the country, which included representatives from the Departments of Health, Social Development, Public Works, the HSRC, the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, and the University of Pretoria and Wits University (these universities also train Foundation Phase teachers). The terms of reference included an examination of ECDC services and programmes, institutional issues and human resource development, inter-sectoral collaboration and funding for efficient delivery among others.

Prof Linda Richter addressed the issues within the context of child development, highlighting and emphasising the significance of the first 1 000 days of a child’s life. Children are attending Grade R in greater numbers and now the quality of the care givers needs to be improved.  The thrust of discussion was on children in the 0-2 age group, which was considered to be the neglected period yet the most basic since they shape the child’s entire life. In the age group 0-2 years, child care in South Africa happens in a completely unstructured manner.

Did you know that the impact of the first 1 000 days of a child’s life in its later developmental progression is substantial? The conditions they are exposed to during this stage of life impact on the genetic imprint for their later lives. Sadly, if that early conditioning does not happen advantageously, it limits that child severely in how they can learn and cope with what comes later in life. If a particular genetic imprint is not “switched on” this cannot be facilitated later in life. The brain is created with infinite possibilities, but we would be carrying much unnecessary baggage if we had to keep and maintain all “pathways” that are possible neurologically. So when a genetic imprint is not stimulated from the outset, it will not function easily or as well later.

Maternal undernourishment during pregnancy or during the lactating stage, or a mother who does not have the time to nurture her child adequately, also diminish the abilities of a child’s development. Two caring parents can do much more for their offspring and a loving mother supported by her partner will be a better nurturer.

Higher spending by parents in developing their child tends to happen later in a child’s life, such as at high school or university level rather than during early childhood years. Parents often do not realise how important early childhood stimulation is. Against this background research shows much greater benefits from early use of trained ECD practitioners who are skilled to stimulate young children or to assist with the task of nurturing for those parents who need to work to earn their keep.  The graphics below show how important good early care and stimulation are for the development of a child.

Prof Richter indicated that the challenges facing government to structure optimal systems for early childhood development are enormous and she invited her audience of ECD specialists in their various fields to share with her what they thought would have the biggest positive impact in improving early childhood environments in South Africa. One of the flagship projects at the College of Education is to place more emphasis on early learning as a field of specialisation for teachers and care givers of small children.

Click here for an overview of Prof Richter’s presentation.