1. National ECD Conference: Creating a child friendly society Peter Sekgobela Regional Manager Wozobona/SEP 078 575 3666/013 2651350 peter@sep.org.za

2. Presentation Overview Introduction About Woz’obona The problem The rationale The interventions – Home based ECD Program Achievements Challenges Possibilities for scale up Key recommendations 2Creating a child friendly society

3. Introduction Creating a child friendly society3

4. About Woz’obona Vision A Child friendly Society Mission Woz’obona/SEP is a rights based organisation which develops innovative models and facilitates sustainable programmes through collaboration with like-minded institutions to enable communities to improve the lives of children Core Values Child participationIntegrity Accountability to beneficiariesConfidentiality Creating a child friendly society4

5. About Wozobona: Programs Education Program – Practitioner Training Full Qualification Skills Development & Upgrading – ABET project primarily for parents of beneficiary children – Promotion of Good Practice in ECD Governance training Financial Management Centre Management & Admin Safety Nets for Children – Child Development through Play – Child Protection through Neighborhood Places of care – Care & Support for OVC – Child Participation through Forum Theatre Home Community Based ECD Program Creating a child friendly society5

6. Unlimited potential All children are born with unlimited potential Creating a child friendly society6

7. Limited reality By the time they retire, they will have achieved only a minute fraction of that potential The bulk of that unachieved potential is lost during their first 4 years (and now we can safely say during the first 1000 days) Creating a child friendly society7

8. Limited reach Families and communities do not provide adequate stimulating environments A high number of children under 5 years (esp birth to 2 years) are not reached through centre- based ECD provision – Limpopo - 110 675/730 471 – EC – 54 198/691 300 – FS – 97 410/317 000 – NC – 24 059/250 000 So, where are the rest of the children? What about them? How do we reach them? Creating a child friendly society8

9. Home Based ECD Program Creating a child friendly society9

10. The rationale ECD is a foundation for learning, growth and development Parents are the key primary role players for provision of an enabling environment for early childhood development All children have the same rights regardless of location and economic status of their parents Creating a child friendly society10

11. Home based ECD Program Home based ECD Facilitators – Trained to facilitate Family Maths Science & Literacy activities with parents & children Target parents as creators of stimulating environment Run workshops on child care, parenting skills and how children learn through play Creating a child friendly society11

12. Home based ECD Program We train parents on: – Health and hygiene and how these relate to child growth and development Importance of creating a space in the home for displaying the child’s work How to make use of daily activities to stimulate children Creating a child friendly society12

13. Home based ECD Program Activities are designed to cover – Physical – Intellectual – Language – Emotional – Social development Activities are largely designed around the day to day activities of parents Creating a child friendly society13

14. Home based ECD Program Run a mobile toy library that moves from on village to another Train parents on how to make educational toys for their own children Creating a child friendly society14

15. Achievements With four facilitators we reached 139 children in 96 homes A ratio of 35 children per facilitator It appears high, but the focus is on parents, and The facilitator works in small groups and one-on- one with parents through out the week Creating a child friendly society15

16. Achievements Access to children with disabilities Improved parental involvement in ECD (even for those enrolled in ECD centres) Easy formation of parent support groups – Time to discuss common challenges – Joint planning Creating a child friendly society16

17. Achievements Initiation of self help projects – Savings and loan groups – Poultry and gardening projects Increased enrolment at ECD centres Improved hygiene and safety in the home Creating a child friendly society17

18. Challenges No standard curriculum for children birth to 4 years; – Creates difficulties in measuring progress in comparison to children in Centres No clear funding mechanism for Non centre- based programs Creating a child friendly society18

19. Challenges How do we guarantee nutrition for each child (related to the lack of clear funding mechanism) Consistency among parents in facilitating activities in the home Temptation among parents to convert into centres Creating a child friendly society19

20. Possibilities for Scaling up Lessons from Home Community Based Care in Health – Clinic is a node of care – Volunteers reach out anchored by the clinic Creating a child friendly society20

21. Possibilities for scaling up ECD centres can serve as nodes of care & anchor points Each community can have Home Based ECD Facilitators Create sustainable decent jobs in thousands across the country – There will always be children needing ECD services Creating a child friendly society21

22. Key recommendations Seriously explore the home based model – To reach unreached children – Improve parenting skills – Place children at the centre of community development Bring together all non centre-based models across the country for standardisation and scale-up Creating a child friendly society22

23. Key Recommendations Why explore the scaling up of the Home based models – Efficiency – you reach more children with one community facilitator – Offers an opportunity to impact on parenting skills during the critical 1000 days – Job creation through community brigades Creating a child friendly society23

24. Key Recommendations The health sector has the four zeros in relation to HIV and TB – Zero new infections – Zero vertical infections – Zero new deaths – Zero discrimination Let us use this National conference to develop the Zeros of ECD. What can those be? Creating a child friendly society24

25. In conclusion “For unto us a child is born...” How I wish the whole community can join the angels and say “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth”... – Learning, growth and development to all His children. For it is possible, it can be done, it must be done, it shall be done. Creating a child friendly society25

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