MPhil in Child Care and Protection Research Calls for Overhaul of Early Childhood Development Programmes

The South African government’s significant decision to transfer all Early Childhood Development (ECD) functions from the Department of Social Development (DSD) to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in 2022 motivated Social Worker Ms Thobeka Mbatha to pursue a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Child Care and Protection.

Her study, titled: “An Implementation Evaluation of the Departmental Function Shift in the Provision of Early Childhood Development Programmes from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education, in the Endumeni Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal”, evaluates the impact of the function shift on the quality of services rendered at ECD centres.

The dissertation was supervised by Professor Willene Holness and Dr Andrea Juan.

‘During this shift, I was responsible for coordinating ECD programmes under DSD.

‘There was minimal engagement with ECD practitioners at grassroots level during the planning phase. I wanted to understand how they would be affected by the function shift, as they were not adequately consulted,’ said Mbatha.

The study recommended that the Children’s Amendment Bill be finalised by the DBE to address the strict regulatory framework currently faced by ECD centres.

It further suggested that a standalone ECD Act be developed, distinct from the Children’s Act, and that a standardised ECD programme be created and monitored by professionals trained in ECD education.

After 10 years of practising as a Social Worker, I was motivated to expand my knowledge in the field of childcare and protection.

‘This multidisciplinary qualification allowed me to explore how other professionals deal with related issues, and how best we can adopt a collaborative approach to address the multiple social challenges facing children,’ said Mbatha.

Mbatha’s postgraduate journey was not without challenges as she was diagnosed with a heart murmur and anaemia, and was hospitalised during the data analysis stage of her study.

‘I had to take a break from my studies for a month to regain my health. During this time, I thought I was wasting valuable time, but I had to continuously remind myself that I wouldn’t finish the degree if I didn’t take care of myself.

‘Once I recovered, I resumed my research. The fact that no prior research had assessed the implementation of the function shift reignited my passion for the dissertation.

‘In the end, I learnt so much more about myself – as an individual, a parent, and as a professional working with children. I gained new perspectives on what childcare and protection truly entail,’ said Mbatha.

Words: Thandiwe Jumo

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini