IECD hosts second national ECCE forum |29 November 2023
Insights into early childhood data management in the Social Affairs sector
A comprehensive study was conducted from June 2023 to August 2023, to shed light on various aspects of early childhood experiences within the Social Affairs sector.
The data, derived from social workers' case files spanning from January 2022 to December 2022, focused on 360 children up to 7 years of age namely 195 girls and 165 boys.
The data management in ECCE was done by consultant Egbert Benstrong.
The findings were presented during the second National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Forum, hosted by the Institute of Early Childhood Development (IECD) and the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs, yesterday at the Sheikh Khalifa conference room.
Mr Benstrong spoke about the positive trends, which were access to health and psychosocial support, which half of the children in the sample had access to.
“The study also revealed a low percentage of children in alternative care, signifying a preference for family-based environments, which are often considered more conducive to healthy development. Majority of children under 7 years lived in households with access to treated water, received at least two healthy meals a day, and had their births registered with a civil authority. These factors contribute significantly to the overall well-being of the children,” shared Mr Benstrong.
The consultant also pointed out that approximately 60 percent of children lived in families that provided a supportive environment, guiding them to make choices and fostering social skills development. Additionally, around 40 percent of children expressed confidence and actively participated in discussions concerning them. Three-quarters of children resided in households where one or more adults had been earning a stable income for the past year, highlighting a level of economic stability that positively influences the child's environment.
Mr Benstrong pointed out that close to three-quarters of children had access to open space, exercise, and play opportunities in their communities, promoting physical activity and social interaction.
Many potential red flags were also revealed in the study. “10 to 20 percent across age groups were screened for developmental delays with demands for early identification and intervention. The percentage of children confirmed as victims of maltreatment by child protective services varied from about 23% to 60% across age groups, necessitating a closer examination of child protection measures. Only about 20% of children reported that their views were sought for and incorporated into decision-making about their rights and responsibilities,” shared Mr Benstrong.
Another interesting fact is that close to 60% of children lived in single-parent households, highlighting potential challenges in providing adequate support and resources for these families. “Around 50% of children lived in households where one or more adults had a drug or alcohol-related addiction, indicating a pressing need for targeted interventions to support affected families. One in five children lived in an overcrowded household, and about a quarter lived in unsafe communities with issues such as litter, poorly kept housing, and vandalism, emphasising the need for community development initiatives,” continued Mr Benstrong.
Another shocking figure is that the prevalence of substantiated cases of physical child abuse and neglect ranged from about 14% to 67%, with sexual abuse being particularly concerning for 6 and 7 year olds; reaching close to 20%.
“A mere 8% of parents of children in ECCE were accessing parenting programmes and approximately 20% of children lived in unsafe communities, experiencing issues such as high crime rates involving violence and drug trafficking, demanding community-focused interventions,” noted Mr Benstrong.
Minister Patricia Francourt spoke about the significance of the event, highlighting the critical role of reliable data in informed decision-making. She stressed the importance of addressing the quality of data collection, accessibility, and analysis to achieve impactful results.
“The deficiencies and gaps in data collection and reporting have been emphasised over the past years and reiterated in the Seychelles country report prepared by the World Bank using the System Approach for Better Education Results in Early Childhood Development (SABER-ECD) framework. One critical recommendation that emerged from the report was the need to develop sound indicators for a national database and data management system on early childhood development, in order to address these shortcomings in the best interest of young children,” stated Minister Francourt.
She further added that “The project which comprised five interdependent and distinct phases sought to support Social Affairs in systematically building and strengthening the management of its information system, so that data on early childhood development can be readily available and appropriately shared at local, regional and international levels”.
A pre-pilot study was conducted in 2022, focusing on 35 agreed-upon ECD indicators to test the model. This was then followed by the main study and the results of this study will be used to make necessary adjustments in preparation for the full institutionalisation of the data management process within the Social Affairs, added the minister.
“Social Services with the help of the IECD Consultant, Mr Benstrong and Project Manager Mrs Barra have remained steadfast through the project implementation phases to attain the required standard of universal indicators of early childhood development in our sector,” said Minister Francourt.
Looking towards the future, the IECD, operating as a Category 2 Centre under Unesco, aims to develop a robust National Information System on ECCE indicators. This initiative will enable Seychelles to pinpoint areas for early childhood development, particularly in child protection and safety, while identifying opportunities for further growth.
Vidya Gappy
Photos: Joena Meme
