Publications

Research Reports

Health And Nutrition In Ecd

A literature review to establish theory on the importance of nutrition in the development of the children accessing the Early Childhood Development services.
01 September 2016

Nutritional wellbeing of children plays a critical role in their development and is recognized that nutritional deficiencies can seriously impact cognitive, physical and other developmental areas for young children. The National Development Plan (NDP) and the ECD Policy Framework recently adopted by Cabinet (December 2015) have recognised this and have placed a priority on addressing quality access to ECD services, which includes a holistic focus on child development (National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy., 2015).

A review of South Africa’s MDG (Millennium Development Goals) performance paints a grim picture in respect of food and nutrition security for all South Africans and mortality and wellbeing outcomes for young children more specifically. Nutrition is very crucial towards the development of the children accessing the Early Childhood Development services by fostering investment towards improving the nutritional value of the food being fed to the children at the ECD centers will have a positive impact towards the development of these children. Collective collaboration between the government departments (Social development, health and Basic Education) in addressing and improving the nutritional value of food at the ECD centers.