Creating an Enabling Environment for ECD

ELRU Family and Community Motivators Programme

The increases in South Africa's unemployment, poverty and HIV/AIDS statistics are alarming. The impact on early childhood development is inestimable.

Neuroscience has shown that critical brain development takes place before the child is two years old. Fundamentally important development, which enables the child to walk, to talk and to develop confidence, creativity and self esteem takes place in the early years.

ELRU advocates that strategies around early childhood development, nationally and at the local level must be integrated and inclusive of the most vulnerable children and their primary caregivers. The high levels of unemployment mean that most young children in South Africa do not have access to organised early childhood development programmes. Many children who enter the school system do not make adequate progress, and the high drop-out rate by Grade 2 is of grave concern.

The ELRU Family and Community Motivator(FCM) Programme has 15 years of experience working with local communities to reach out to vulnerable children and families in the villages and towns of South and Southern Africa. The FCM Programme builds on existing beliefs and traditions around child raising and offers consultation and support towards developing early childhood development infrastructure at the local level. We provide a training programme that can be adapted for local circumstances and support and monitoring visits.

A special mentoring service with skilled personnel provided by ELRU is also available. Costs are negotiable. The two-week, full time training programme, including a support and monitoring visit, can be offered in a local venue.

      - identifying community resources,
      - working with existing initiatives and
      - developing appropriate strategies


For a pdf download of the Family and Community Motivators, The Front Line of Support for Vulnerable Young Children book,
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