Autumn 2015 - The Pre and Primary School Guide | Page 15

charity enable them to play free from danger.” She encourages parents to mobilise and advocate if they are concerned about safety. For example, take up with your municipality or local counsellor concerns over the local play park; or poor street lighting, roads or pavements; or the need for adequate sport and recreation facilities and public libraries. An essential package for ECD While important, stimulation for learning is only one piece of the bigger picture. In fact, there are many areas of well-being that need attention to ensure children develop optimally. But there are a few vital support areas and services which as a “package” can ensure that children thrive as they grow up. The government’s provision of maternal and child health services is one part of such a package. These include antenatal care for pregnant mothers at clinics, including screening and supporting expectant mothers who have mental health or alcohol or substance abuse problems. It also includes preventing newborn babies from getting HIV from their mothers, and a range of health services for children such as immunisation and screening them for tuberculosis, for delays in their development, or for disability. Nutritional support is another part of the package. It involves teaching mothers about breastfeeding and healthy food for children, and food supplements for children or mothers who need it after birth. Deworming children every six months from the age of one year is a simple, yet very effective, way of ensuring good nutritional health. A third component of an essential ECD package is social services. These include getting a birth certificate for the child, which is used to access other government services like social grants, free health care and education. Social services also include child protection services to prevent or investigate child abuse and other harmful circumstances, and support to traumatised and vulnerable children. The well-being of caregivers cannot be stressed enough, especially in a country like South Africa where many are raising children in the face of poverty, violence and substance abuse. So, support to primary caregivers is another element of the package. It includes access to parenting information, parenting programmes, and support services for parents who are depressed or struggling to cope. (see the below box, it lists some ways in which parents can take care of their own well-being.) The last component of the package is support to children to learn. Home-visiting services and mother-and-baby groups for playful learning while the child is still very young, community playgroups, toy and book libraries and ECD centres are services that can help children in the pre-school years. Thereafter, access to quality grade R and schooling in the foundation phase (grades 1 – 3) set them up for learning in the grades to come. ECD services can protect young children from the negative effects of poverty, violence and neglect. There are many things that parents, caregivers and families can do to make sure young children get a good start in life. Some useful steps are included in the accompanying image. About the Children’s Institute Taking care of yourself as a parent The CI is a child policy research and advocacy unit at the University of Cape Town. Our work focuses on key challenges for South Africa’s children, especially poverty, inequality, HIV/AIDS, high child deaths, violence and abuse, and children’s limited voice. We provide evidence to decision-makers and practitioners to use in their work for children. You can read more about ECD in our “South African Child Gauge 2013” publication on our website (www.ci.org.za), or contact Lizette. [email protected]. • Pay attention to your health, nutrition, and emotional well-being. • Speak to a trusted friend or family member if you are struggling to cope. • Seek help and advice from a community organisation or government service such as a local clinic or social welfare office. • Attend a parenting programme to enhance your parenting skills and ability to care for your child. Article by: Children’s Institute University of Cape Town 46 Sawkins Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7000 pre & primary school guide • autumn 2015 Tel: (+ 27 21) 650 1463 [note: new telephone numbers] Fax: (+ 27 21) 650 1460 www.ci.org.za 13