South Africa’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector remains one of the most powerful levers for breaking cycles of poverty and inequality. Decades of global and local research show that the first five years of life shape long-term health, learning, and well-being outcomes. Yet in South Africa, millions of young children still face barriers of poverty, food insecurity, fragmented services, and limited access to safe, nurturing ECD environments.

At Starfish Greathearts Foundation, our commitment is to strengthen the care ecosystem for every vulnerable child. Through extensive engagement with communities, practitioners, government frameworks, and national research, one truth stands out clearly: ECD sustainability is built through interconnected components, not isolated interventions.

Below are the core components required to sustain an ECD programme in South Africa, along with the key actions Starfish Greathearts Foundation is implementing. 

1. Strong, Community-Rooted Partnerships

Sustainable programs grow when communities act as co-creators, not merely recipients. The ECD Census 2021 Final Report (pp 45–50, 65) shows that programs with strong community governance and peer networks exhibit greater stability and continuity.

Similarly, the Early Childhood Review 2024 (pp 33–37) highlights that community-based organisations (CBOs) that are empowered from the outset handle staffing, finances, and parent engagement more effectively. These flows of ownership and accountability become the bedrock of enduring programs.

Starfish Actions:

• Ensure that all community-based organisations co-design governance structures with local stakeholders
• Ensure representation of parents, caregivers, and local leaders
• Facilitate peer networks across ECD sites to share best practices
• Build transition plans from donor-funded to locally-owned models

2. Consistent, High-Quality Nutrition

Nutrition remains one of the strongest predictors of child readiness and long-term health. The Child Gauge 2024 “Building Block 2: Nutrition” shows that inadequate nutritional intake, micronutrient deficiencies, and erratic meal provision significantly undermine learning outcomes. The NIECD 2015 Annex B (Health/Nutrition) and the NIECD Policy Evaluation 2024 (pp 40–55) reaffirm that ECD programs must embed stable, age-appropriate nutrition, growth monitoring, and supply-chain resilience.

“Nutrition is the single strongest predictor of development.” (Child Gauge 2024)

Global frameworks such as the WHO Nurturing Care Framework (2018) and the DoH Integrated Nutrition Program (2019) align directly with this imperative.

Starfish actions:

• Establish reliable meal-provision systems (breakfast, lunch, snacks)
• Ensure diverse and balanced meals containing carbohydrates, protein, fats, and fresh fruits and vegetables 
• Develop local supply-chain partnerships (farmers, food co-ops, and food gardens)
• Embed growth-monitoring and screening for malnutrition in routine practice
• Create contingency plans for supply disruptions (e.g., public health crises)

3. Safe, Protective Environments

A sustainable ECD center is one in which children are physically and emotionally safe. The National School Safety Framework (DBE 2015) Sections 3–5 and the Health & Safety Schools Checklist 2022 (Secs 4.3–4.5) describe mandatory infrastructure, evacuation procedures, hygiene standards, and monitoring. Compliance with the Children’s Act 38 of 2005, the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993, and the Fire Brigade Services Act 99 of 1987 provides the legal foundation.

Further, the National Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 anchors emergency preparedness and inclusive-design mandates.

Starfish Actions:

• Conduct safety audits and hazard-risk assessments annually
• Ensure infrastructure meets minimum standards (fencing, toilets, fire exits)
• Train staff on safeguarding, child-protection, first-aid, and emergency response
• Develop child-friendly, inclusive spaces (for children with disabilities)

(Above: Children at a Starfish-supported Early Childhood Center receive quality education, nutritious meals, healthcare, and so much more, setting them up for success and breaking the cycle of poverty.)

4. Financial Stability and Multi-Stream Funding Models

Many ECD centers operate on razor-thin margins and are vulnerable to donor fatigue or economic downturns. The DSD NPO Funding Guidelines 2022 and the National Treasury Budget Review 2023 highlight the volatility of funding flows and the need for diversified income streams. The NIECD Evaluation 2024 (pp 56–63) and the LEGO Deep Dive 2022 stress that a sustainable program includes:

• Predictable core funding (government subsidy, paid fees, donor grants)
• Diversified income (corporate social investment, social enterprise, community contributions)
• Transparent budgeting, reserves for shocks, and financial risk-management

“Centers relying on one funding source face 3x higher closure risk.” NIECD Evaluation 2024

Without this financial foundation, even high-quality programs struggle to maintain staff, resources, and operational continuity.

Starfish Actions:

• Build a five-year financial plan
• Track funding diversification (at least three income streams)
• Establish financial governance: audit, board oversight, reserve policy
• Monitor cost-per-child and enrolment trends to adjust fees/subsidy as required

5. Skilled, Supported ECD Practitioners

Quality ECD is only possible when practitioners are well-trained, supported, and motivated. The EGMRP LTSM & Assessment Summative Report 2023 (p 22 ff.) documented that educator training levels and ongoing professional development correlate directly with improved assessment outcomes and stronger early-grade performance. The UNESCO Global Guidelines for ECCE (2022) and NIECD 2015 Chapter 6 emphasise continuous professional learning, coaching, and fair remuneration.

Starfish Actions:

• Ensure baseline educator qualifications and experience across all sites
• Implement ongoing mentoring/coaching framework (monthly and quarterly sessions)
• Offer retention incentives, career-pathing, and well-being support
• Ensure continuous feedback loops: practitioner voice in program design

(Above: Children at a Starfish-supported Early Childhood Center with their teacher reading together.)

6. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Systems

Effective monitoring enables early risk identification and supports continuous improvement. The ECD Census 2021 (pp 53–59) found that ECD sites with basic monitoring and evaluation systems had higher rates of enrolment stability and practitioner qualification uptake. The NIECD frameworks (2015; 2024) call for integrated systems capturing:

• Child development progress
• Attendance and participation trends
• Nutrition/health outcomes
• Quality of care (practitioner-child ratios, materials, safety)
  
• Additionally, global tools such as the UNICEF MICS ECD Indicators (2017) and the UN CRPD Arts 23–24 provide a basis for measuring inclusion and developmental rights.

Starfish Actions:

• Developed a monitoring and evaluation dashboard aligned with national indicators
• Use data to drive improvement cycles: review → adjust → implement
• Train practitioners and management in data use for decision-making
• Share findings transparently with stakeholders (community, funders, board)

7. Strong Governance and Accountability Structures

Governance is the structural glue for sustainability. The NIECD 2015 Chapter 7 and Child Gauge 2024 (pp. 72–80) emphasise the importance of clear roles, board oversight, safeguarding policies, ethics, compliance, and audit practices. Effective governance ensures leadership transitions and reduces the risk of organisational collapse when key staff depart.

Starfish Actions:

• Establish board charters, conflict-of-interest policies, needs registers, and risk registers
• Implement periodic governance reviews (annual external audit recommended)
• Align governance structures with donor/funder expectations (e.g., NPO registration)
• Facilitate leadership development for emerging site managers

8. Deep Caregiver and Family Involvement

Children thrive when families and caregivers are engaged partners in their development. The WHO Nurturing Care Framework (2018) and UNICEF Program Guidance for ECD (2017) demonstrate that caregiver engagement drives stronger cognitive, behavioural, and emotional outcomes. The UNICEF ESARO Scaling What Works (2025) emphasises that sustainable programs scale effectively when families are involved in co-design, feedback loops, and daily learning routines.

Starfish Actions:

• Create structured caregiver-engagement programs (home visits, material support, learning kits)
• Offer parent-education workshops on early learning, nutrition, and learning through play
• Monitor caregiver satisfaction, participation, and input into governance
• Embed home-learning activities and align center programming with home routines

9. Alignment to National Policy and Local Reality

Sustainability lies at the intersection of compliance and contextual relevance. Program alignment with national policy is essential both for access to public support and legitimacy. Compliance with the NIECD Policy 2015, DBE Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools (WinS), and DBE Guidelines for Early Childhood Development Services (2006) ensures that centers meet core standards for health, hygiene, and learning environments. Meanwhile, guidelines such as the WHO WASH in Schools/ECD Guidelines (2020) provide global benchmarks for infrastructure and sanitation.

Starfish Actions:

• Conduct policy-gap reviews for each site (registration, certification, subsidies)
• Align site standards with national frameworks (infrastructure, staffing, curriculum)
• Adapt services to local realities (rural vs urban, community resources, languages)
• Ensure each facility maintains continuous liaison with municipal social services, health, and education authorities.

Conclusion: Building an ECD Ecosystem That Endures

Sustainable ECD is not built through isolated projects or short-term fixes. It is created through a holistic, long-term ecosystem approach where nutrition, safety, family engagement, practitioner development, governance, funding, and monitoring all operate together.

At Starfish Greathearts Foundation, we remain committed to strengthening this ecosystem alongside our community-based organization partners, families, practitioners, and supporters. When we invest in young children, we are investing in the future stability, well-being, and promise of South Africa.

ECD sustainability is nation-building. And together, we can build a future where every child thrives.