Early Childhood Development for your child
Early childhood is a very important time – children are developing fast and are also very vulnerable. The importance of helping your child develop, at an early stage, cannot be underestimated.
What is early childhood development?
Early childhood development (ECD) refers to all the things your child needs to develop fully. Play and engaged learning contribute to the development of your child’s senses, body control and co-ordination. It also improves self-confidence and social skills.
Early Childhood Development is the foundation for lifelong success. In the first five years, a child’s brain develops faster than at any other time, shaping learning, health, and social skills. It is during this time that the foundation is laid for a child's physical, cognitive, emotional and social development.
Quality ECD programmes and services have been shown to improve school readiness, academic achievement and lifelong well-being, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Early Childhood Development (ECD) is vital in Cape Town because it lays the foundation for lifelong learning, health, and success—reducing inequality, improving school readiness, and giving every child the best possible start despite social and economic challenges.
Some children – like those with
disabilities,
foetal alcohol spectrum disorders and
HIV/AIDS as well as children who live in poverty – are particularly at risk of not developing to their full potential. For your child to grow into a positive, healthy and happy adult, we need to ensure they have everything they need when they are in their earliest years.
ECD centres
An
ECD centre is any building or property used to care for children. These include playgroups, crèches, aftercare centres, educare centres, pre-schools and nursery schools.
An ECD centre should offer more than just a place for your child to eat, sleep and play. ECD centres play an important role in unlocking a child’s learning potential. Unfortunately, there is a general lack of formal ECD centres across the City of Cape Town despite huge demand for them.
The City works with the
Western Cape Education Department to ensure that all young children have access to sustainable, registered ECD centres and services.
See the database of ECD centres that have lease agreements with the City
See all registered ECD centres
Why should I enrol my child in an ECD?
Enrolling your child in an ECD centre gives them a strong start in life. Early learning and care help children grow emotionally, socially, and academically.
In addition, ECD centres:
- provide a safe, structured environment for learning and play;
- support social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development;
- prepare children for formal schooling with early literacy and numeracy skills; and
- offer nutrition, health checks, and early intervention if developmental delays are noticed.
What should I consider when choosing an ECD?
Choosing the right ECD ensures your child receives quality care and learning opportunities. Use the checklist below to ensure that you make the right choice for your child.
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Registration: Ensure the centre is registered with the relevant authorities.
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Qualified staff: Educators should have proper training in early childhood development.
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Safety and hygiene: Clean, safe, and child-friendly facilities.
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Curriculum and activities: Age-appropriate learning through play, arts, and movement.
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Parental involvement: Opportunities for parents to engage and communicate with staff
Why is it important for ECD operators to be registered?
Registration is important for credibility, compliance, and access to support. Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres should be registered to ensure children receive quality care and education in a safe and nurturing environment.
Registration allows ECD centres to be monitored for safety and quality standards, access government funding, and provide better support for children's development. It also helps formalise the sector, ensuring that all children, especially those in low-income areas, have access to vital resources and opportunities.
Registration with the relevant authorities ensures:
- Compliance with national and local regulations.
- Access to government support, grants, and training programmes.
- Recognition of quality, which builds trust with parents.
- Opportunities to join forums and network with other ECD centres.
What is the City’s role?
The City supports and regulates ECD centres to ensure children receive quality care, including:
- Ensuring safety and quality.
- Providing resources, infrastructure support, and training programmes.
- Facilitating networking and collaboration through forums and local initiatives.
The department helps ECD centres grow and improve through guidance and networking, including:
- Facilitating the establishment and strengthening of ECD Forums.
- Providing training – SEED Model, capacity building, and networking opportunities for ECD practitioners.
- Sharing information on compliance, registration, and available resources.
- Supporting community-driven initiatives to improve ECD access and quality.
- Processing application for exemption of Developmental Charges for ECD Centres
Remember
ECD centres operating with less than 34 children are automatically exempted from paying
Developmental Charges.
Children with disabilities
The needs of children with disabilities are included in our services. We’ve provided training sessions for parents of disabled children and we are looking into incorporating it into our overall basket of services.
The training focuses on children’s rights and the needs of children with disabilities – such as health, housing, schooling and specialist support.
Did you know?
A caring city: Currently, the City has lease agreements with more than 30 fully operational ECD facilities. Read more about the City's early childhood development initiatives in our
Investing in Early Childhood Development Booklet.
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