Africa-Press – Kenya. Childcare, despite its importance, remains largely invisible in Kenya’s public financing frameworks, especially for children between 0 and 3 years old, stakeholders have lamented.
Kidogo Early Years associate director for policies and partnerships Susan Mtana said there is a need for urgent reforms in childcare policies in the country.
She said childcare financing should be prioritised and integrated into national and county development agendas.
“The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are especially crucial, with up to 90 per cent of brain development occurring during this period,” Mtana said on Wednesday in Mombasa.
Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o said childcare is treated as a standalone budget item, while funding is fragmented across sectors such as health, education and social protection.
She spoke last week, during the 6th Legislative Summit, organised by the County Assemblies Forum, where more than 2,000 MCAs from across the 47 counties attended.
Nyakang’o said the lack of a coordinated financing structure between the counties and the national government could be the reason for the gaps in childcare financing.
“This is more so at the county level, where implementation responsibilities lie,” she said.
Experts say childcare, particularly for children aged 0 to 3 years, goes beyond basic supervision.
It encompasses a holistic approach that integrates nutrition, health, nurturing, early learning and social development.
Investment in quality childcare not only improves school readiness and cognitive development but also yields significant economic returns, estimated at between nine and 13 per cent, and can increase future earnings by up to 25 per cent, according to experts at the summit.
However, this responsibility is left to a few individuals, who are often overwhelmed.
Teresia Obura, a local childcare provider, said although they help fill the gap, providing care to children in the country is a struggle.
Many daycare facilities are emerging in various areas, raising the need for sensitisation on standard care.
Obura lamented that high costs of licensing, constant harassment by law enforcement officers, and the lack of a clear “one-stop shop” for registration are among the challenges they face as childcare providers.
“We also want to be recognised and funded,” she said.
Obura said most parents today leave their children with childcare providers due to economic hardships that force both parents to go out and earn a living.
“The facilities are coming up because the economic situation in the country has necessitated everyone to go out and look for money. Who will take care of the young children then? That is why daycare facilities are coming up,” she said.
Obura said providers are highly dependent on household incomes, exposing them to economic shocks, which sometimes affect both the quality and sustainability of services.
Mtana called for the establishment of a dedicated and ring-fenced budget for childcare, as well as the enactment of county-specific childcare laws to guide financing and service delivery.
This is because one of the major structural barriers lies in the disconnect between the national and county governments.
“While the national government controls financial resources, county governments are tasked with delivering childcare services. Without clear, dedicated funding streams, counties struggle to meet growing demand,” Mtana said.
Early Childhood Development Network national coordinator Teresa Mwoma said the consequences of underinvestment are already evident.
In Nairobi, for example, nearly 90 per cent of women traders spend more than seven per cent of their household income on childcare.
“In the absence of affordable and accessible options, many families are forced to make difficult choices, leaving children in unsafe environments, under the care of older siblings, or accompanying parents to hazardous workplaces,” she said.
Mwoma said childcare plays a pivotal role in women’s economic empowerment.
Affordable and reliable services enable mothers to participate more actively in the labour force, work longer hours, and transition from informal to formal employment.
“For businesses, employer-supported childcare reduces absenteeism and staff turnover, ultimately boosting productivity and economic growth,” Mwoma said.
Stakeholders at the 6th Legislative Summit pushed for the integration of childcare into County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) and Annual Development Plans (ADPs).
However, Children Welfare Services PS Carren Agengo said several counties have no policies in place to guide this.
She challenged county leadership to work closely with the national government to enable them to incorporate budgeting for children aged 0–3 years.
