Mapping of ECD Approaches and Sustainability Analysis of Community Based Child Care Centers
In addition to delivering diverse ECCD benefits during the crucial first five years of a child’s life, community daycare centers can prevent child drowning, the leading cause of death of children under 5. More than 30 children between the ages of 1-4 die every day in Bangladesh from drowning alone. The effectiveness of community day care centers has been proven by Bloomberg Philanthropies-funded research supervised by the Johns Hopkins University and implemented by iccdr,b and CIPRB.
Multiple childcare center models are already being implemented successfully in communities across the country. However, the sustainability and scaling of these IECCD programs is uncertain, presenting a risk to child protection and development services. The Drowning Prevention Partnership project of Synergos, a US-based global organization supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, commissioned an ECD Mapping and Sustainability Analysis study of various center-based childcare approaches, with technical support from BEN.
The study fills the knowledge gap on types and coverage of ECD services and informs policy regarding sustainability of care centers for ECCD and more specifically to reduce drowning mortality. It and a subsequent feasibility study illustrates willingness and potential among stakeholders – including parents and communities – to coordinate, leveraging and better utilizing resources for improved sustainability.
Specifically, the study addresses three objectives:
- Explore and document the range, types and coverage of daycare/crèche center models and delivery approaches operating (or planned) in Bangladesh for children under five.
- Explore factors affecting and pathways to sustainability of daycare/ crèche center models to inform the work of the alliance on effective, sustainable, and potentially scalable solutions to prevent drowning among children under five.
- Make recommendations for potential advocacy options for sustainable center-based models for child development and protection including prevention of drowning among children under five years of age.
