| dc.description.abstract | The early years of life are very important in human growth and development.
Should anything go wrong during this period, the individual's chances of success
and contribution to national development will be limited. It is therefore imperative
that we invest appropriately in the early years of childhood for proper human
capital development.
This study examines the provision of day care centres for the children aged 0-6
years in Dagoretti division, Nairobi. Out of the 206 day care centres that exist in
the area, a total of 40 were sampled randomly for interview, representing 19.32
percent of the total day care centres. In addition to this, a total of 140 households
were selected randomly for' interview. These totals were then distributed equally
among the high, middle and low-income groups that exist in the area. Analysis
done included: the number, types and location of day care centres in the area, the
role of day care centres and the factors considered by the parents in the choice of
day care facilities tor their children among others.
Findings indicate that day care centres have been in existence in the area since the
1970s. Going by the planning standards set in the physical planning handbook for
day care centres, the area has a deficit of 75 day care centres. In addition, research
findings indicate that there exist two types of day care centres in the study area;
public and non-public with the non-public day care centres being the majority in
number. The non-public day care centres are sponsored by private entrepreneurs,
Religious Based Organizations (R80s), Non-Governmental Organizations
(NGOs) and Community Groups. Those sponsored by private entrepreneurs were
the majority representing 6h percent of the total sampled number. Likewise, it was
realized that day care centres are not evenly distributed in the area. Therefore,
some families have to travel long distances to drop their children to the day care
centres. There were no day care facilities for children aged 0-2 years as day care
centres in the study area admit only children aged 2-6 years.
Majority of day care centres operate between 7.30 am and 3.30 prn. They close
during the other school closing days and operate five days a week; Monday to
Friday. With these .. parents with children aged 0-6 years end up facing many
challenges between work and childcare. The main challenges faced by the parents
include: missing work, getting late to work. leaving work early and dealing with
personal related issues during working hours. This affects their work productivity
and family incomes negatively, which in turn adversely affects the national
economy.
Planning for childcare facilities therefore has to be taken into account in physical
planning. It is important that planners. considering the increase in demand for day
care centres. allocate enough physical space for these facilities. Equity, social
justice. landscape design. security and gender analysis have to he taken into
account in planning for day care centres. Planning and provision for these facilities
has to be in step with development and parents should be enabled to have a access
to these facilities in both residential neighborhoods and at their work places too. | en_US |
