The Essential

Package:

Enabling Early

Childhood

Development

Services for poverty

affected children in

South Africa

Ilifa Labantwana

East London

NECTA Workshop

28 May 2014

Introducing Ilifa

Labantwana

Ada Care Setting

Risk Factors

Unresponsive care

Limited

stimulation

Maltreatment

Violence exposure

Socio-cultural

Factors

Oppression of

women

Childrearing

practice

Poverty (66%)

Food

insecurity

Child

Biological Risk

Factors

Neurological

Level

e.g. FASD, HIV,

Stunting, Toxic

Stress

Reactions

Sensori

-motor

Social

Emotional

Cognition

Language

Child Development

Outcomes

Caregiver

health & well-

being, HIV, TB,

Depression

Substance

Abuse

Understanding the major risks & pathways in the

home environment for < 6 yrs outcomes

Health

Adapted from Walker et al 2007

Mapping Ilifa’s objectives

PROVINCIAL and DISTRICT IMPLEMENTATION

provide the evidence, based on actual experience of implementation and careful evaluation, to support scale up of appropriate and cost-effective ECD

services and support for young children in South Africa

KZN MODELLNG AND TESTING

Start up at district Knock to other districts

Simultaneous engagement at provincial

NW MODELLING AND TESTING

Start up at municipal and provincial levels

Engagement to strengthen start up and knock on to district level

CROSS CUTTERS: LEADERSHIP, HRD, COSTING + STRENTHENING BUDGETING CAPACITY, IMPROVED INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, QUALITY

ASSURANCE, DISABILITY ….

National knock on

Purposive knock on strategy

Knock on to other

provinces

A PEAK AT HOW WE DO IT….

Reflection

What is Early Childhood Development?

• Share your ideas with the group

• Collectively outline/map your shared vision of ECD

So, if that’s how you define ECD, then to what does every child need to have access?

List these things. How/where do we create access? (who are the duty bearers?)

Ilifa video

• The Ilifa video puts forward some key ideas on ECD, how did your ideas compare?

• What were the key things it indicates each child needs?

• How could they access these services?

• What measures could we use to determine if they do have access? (enough and of good enough quality?)

The Essential Package: What its all about and

how to use it!

Introducing the Essential Package

• Brief overview of the ECD policy framework. • The need to define essential elements of an

Essential Package of ECD services. • Age continuum from pregnancy to 6 yrs. • Four domains of an Essential Package:

• Nutrition and Health support (incl. IMCI). • Social Services • Support for Primary caregivers • Stimulation for Early Learning

• Indicators and definitions. • Delivery channels.

An Essential ECD service package to the most economically vulnerable must be delivered

along a Development Continuum

Pre-birth

Birth - 2

2 – 4

4 – 6

1st 1000 days

So, what's in the box?

Prebirth Birth-2 2-4 4-6

•Early Prenatal Booking

• Maternal Nutritional support

•Maternal Mental Health Support

•Parenting advice

• Prevention of Alcohol & Substance use

•PMTCT for HIV

•Birth registration

•Disability Screen

•Social grants

•Immunisation

•ARVs

•Breast Feeding to 6/12

•Child Vit A Supp;

•Iron Supp

•Maternal PSS & Parenting support (prevention of toxic stress & Dysregulation)

•Parenting Stimulation for Early learning

•Deworming

•Nutrition

•ARVs

•Maternal PSS

•Formal ECCE Stimulation for Early learning

•Deworming,

•Nutrition

•ARVs

12

5-9 YRS

(GR & School)

How should we deliver it?

HOME-VISITING: SERVICES LINKS, PROMOTION OF AFFECTIONAL

CARE & STIMULATION FOR EARLY LEARNING

TEACHER

TRAINING AND SUPPORT

36-60 MONTHS 0 – 36 MONTHS

COMBINED WITH HIGH DOSE

PLAYGROUP INPUTS

ALLIGNED TO SCHOOL

READINESS

Or QUALITY ECCE

ANTENATAL

CLINIC-BASED CAREGIVER AND CHILD SUPPORT

MOST LIKELY TO

IMPROVE

READINESS TO

LEARN

Child Growth Normal

Behaviour Regulated

Take a look at the

Essential Package as a Tool

• What are its key elements?

• Who do you think it is for?

• How could you make use of it in your day to day

work in the ECD sector?

• What do you think might make it more useful to

you?

(PS we are adding some bits: Early Stimulation +

Disability components strengthened, some indicators

are changing, Access to Information being added

etc)