Status of Child
Development in Kenya
Kenya adopted 8.4.4. system in 1985 where children spent 8 years in primary, 4 years in secondary and 4 in University. Primary Education has been free since 2003 but it is not compulsory. Non formal education caters for disadvantaged children in North Eastern and urban slums but challenges in these schools are: poor facilities, inadequate text books and materials, high pupil teacher ratio, and untrained teachers although the government is supporting these schools through FPE funds. IIEP initially supported by UNICEF AND Muslim teachers in collaboration with DICECEs are found in parts of Coast, Eastern and North Eastern Province.

Pre-school Education is not free and neither is it compulsory. It is not a prerequisite for joining standard 1. Currently preschool education caters for children aged 3+ – 5+ year olds. GER in preschools is 38.4% (Kenya is second in Africa after Ghana which is 52.1%, (Uganda’s 2.8% and Lesotho 21.1%).

About 60% of child deliveries are at home although 80% of women attend ante-natal clinics TBAs assist 28% of women during delivery. Immunization coverage in 1989 was only 51% but by 1990 had increased to 71.7% which was close to the Universal Child Immunization (UCI) of 75%. However there was a declined since 1998 from 65 % to 60% (2003) and there was no vaccination at all for 3 % (1998) and 6 % (2003). 9% of children in North Eastern Province were immunized compared to 79% in Central Province. HIV/AIDS pandemic infected 80%-90% of population aged between 15 - 49 yrs. These age groups are economically productive and are of child bearing age. 10% of those infected are children below 5 yrs old, 1/3 die before their first birthday. 1.2 million Orphans in Kenya are HIV/AIDS orphans and they form 80% of orphans in Kenya. AIDS orphans are stigmatized lack parental/ guardian care and are burdened with responsibilities. Nyanza Province has the highest percentage of orphans (15.4%) while North Eastern Province has less than 1% (KDHS 2003). Curriculum developed through KIE has been infused through ECD to College in a bid to reduce the pandemic.

35% of children were moderately stunted in 2001 compared to 30% too stunted 6% wasted with regional disparities; Eastern Province had 41% of children stunted compared to 29% in Central Province.

Importance of the Early Years of Development
The EFA conference articulated the importance of early year in forming the foundation for the individual in life. These deliberations have been corroborated by various researches especially the current researches on the brain development which emphasize that the first six years of life are extremely important because:-
• The environmental experiences during this period significantly influence ones life. These experiences will either foster or defer the realization of ones potential in life. This is also the fastest period of growth and development in all aspects.
• The development of the brain is most rapid. By the second year of life the brain of the child is 70% of adult brain. At 6 years it reaches 90%. In addition, by the end of 6 years the brain of the child has developed maximum connections more than required in a life time. All that is left is to make these connections permanent through providing early stimulation.
• All the critical windows of opportunity are open during this period. These are the periods when children are able to learn and acquire very fast certain knowledge, skills and attitudes. Parents, other care-givers and teachers need to make use of these windows of opportunities because children learn very fast.
• This is the period when the brain is most malleable and also highly impressionable. Environmental influences especially care have the greatest impact on the brain.
• This is the period when it is very easy to mould the character of children by inculcating social norms, values and habits.

Benefits of Investing In The Early Years
Because of the proven importance of the early years, Kenya would reap substantial benefits if she invests in early childhood programmes. Some of these benefits include:
• Raising children who are healthy and who will grow up to be productive and assets to their families, communities and nation as a result of the quality care given to them during their early years.
• Cost savings for both the families and the nation. Because of quality care given to the children by parents children will be healthier. They will have fewer incidences of diseases which is a cost casing. They will also have better academic performance and few dropout and repetition rates in school as a result of having been exposed to stimulating learning experiences both at home and in the ECD centres. This reduces expenses. The money saved by families and the government in health care and education services will be used in development programs. (Schwinhart and Weirlart, 1980).
• Reduction of poverty. Quality early childhood experiences contribute to more productive human resources because the children who are exposed to such experiences have better success in school and hence they get better paying jobs when they enter labour market.
• Reduction of social inequalities. When children from disadvantaged backgrounds are exposed to stimulating early childhood experiences their chances of performing well in school are significantly improved which means that they are able to get better paying jobs on finishing school. This means, therefore, that quality early childhood programmes help children from poor families to get out of the web of poverty.

• Improved chances for the girl child to enrol and continue with formal education. Girls who enrol in the early child-hood centres often proceed to primary school and higher levels of formal education. This is because their parents are sensitised on the importance of formal education during the period when their children are in the early child-hood centres through the parental and community education programmes carried out by DICECE trainers and others.
• Improved moral values in the community. The window of moral and values training is open during the early years. Hence children train in moral values during the first six years of life are more likely to grow up to well disciplined, well adjusted, socially and morally upright adults.
• Benefits to parents and communities. Parents and communities acquire more knowledge, skills and positive attitudes on various issues especially those related to the needs and rights of children as well as families and community development as a result of parental and community education trainings carried out within the early childhood programmes. This helps them to improve the welfare of their children and families and have happier and healthier families.
• Increased opportunities for parental and community mobilisation. The early child-hood programmes offer very good opportunities for mobilising parents and local communities because mobilisation is one of the most important activities carried out by in communities by DICECE trainers, MOH personnel, and the Community Capacity Support Programme of the Department of Social Service programmes among other partners. The time when parents and local communities are being mobilised for early childhood issues can be used to create awareness in all aspects of children’s rights and holistic developmental needs.

Rationale for Integrated Policy Framework
The needs of children are complex and diverse, and involve catering for all areas of development, including physical, mental, social, emotional, moral and spiritual. For the child to be healthy, the child requires health, nutrition, stimulation, protection, care and training. No one partner can adequately provide services that adequately safeguard the rights and meet the needs of the young children. Consequently, the Government of Kenya has emphasised the importance of partnership in safe-guarding the rights and provision of the services to meet the holistic needs of young children (Sessional Paper, 1988; MOH, 2005). The partners involved in service provision for young chidren include various parents and communities, Government ministries and departments, NGOs, faith based organisations, civil society, charitable organisations, CBOs, private sector, bilateral and multilateral partners. Also, due to the adequate aware-ness of holistic development of young children and their rights, there is need for constant advocacy and lobbying in order to increase investment in early childhood services and programmes.

Principles of Integrated Policy Framework for ECD
The Integrated Policy Framework for ECD policy in Kenya is based on principles that are universally accepted as forming the cornerstone of quality early childhood development services and programmes. These include:

• Policy ensures that the holistic needs of young children are met to maximise the realisation of their full potentials.
• The policy must safeguard the rights of the child as per the Children’s Act, Cap. 586.
• Policy must ensure the involvement of all government ministries and other partners.
• Policy must be child centred, recognising that children are voiceless and are also active participants and learners.
• Policy must recognise and appreciate parents and families as the primary caregivers of their children and hence they must be empowered and supported in their roles.
• Policy must support and strengthen the community based management of early childhood services as the most effective sustainable development.
• Policy must address the issues of vulnerable and marginalised children, and provide affirmative action for them.
• Policy must ensure non-discrimination of children and families on basis of gender, race, colour, religion, economic status, health status and disability.
• Policy must recognise that life begins at conception and learning before birth.

Target Groups
The integrated policy framework targets all children, including the vulnerable and marginalized, from conception to eight years. Within this age range of children, there are four definitive categories: conception to birth, birth to three years, four to five years, and six to eight years. Although these children all have the same holistic needs, which consist of nutrition, health, nurturance, protection, stimulation and training, the emphasis and focus of providing for these needs varies depending upon the age categories. In addition, special attention must be focused on the provision for the needs and rights of the vulnerable and marginalized young children.

In order to provide services for children, the IECD policy must also target the primary caregivers of these children. These include: parents, and those who provide care for children in their absence, such as grandparents, other relatives, care providers in children’s homes, etc.
The communities also need to be targeted and empowered to support families and alternative caregivers for the provision of the holistic needs and in safeguarding the rights of the young children.

Implementation Modality of Integrated Policy Frame-work for ECD
A multi-sectoral approach will be used in the implementation of this policy frame-work in order to enhance the provision of services to meet the holistic needs and to safeguard the rights of all young children.

This document depicts an overarching umbrella frame-work that will encompass and integrate sector policies for early childhood services and programmes in Kenya for children from conception to eight years. It delineates the Integrated Early Child-hood Development (IECD) system and sets the policy direction in terms of goals, objectives, strategies and actions. The document also provides a frame of reference for key sectors involved in the development and implementation of IECD policy in Kenya.

The development of this policy document is necessary because the existing guidelines in early childhood development services are not supported by a clear policy framework. Without the integrated policy framework, the provision of early childhood services and programmes has tended to take a segmented approach within fragmented sectoral initiatives. This means that numerous service providers in early childhood development services have developed and implemented programmes without sufficient collaboration and coordination resulting in duplication of resources and services, gaps in service delivery and at times even unhealthy competition. This mitigates against the provision of quality services for holistic development of young children.