For the purposes of section 94(2) of the Act, the following are national norms and standards for early childhood development programmes:
| (1) |
The provision of appropriate developmental opportunities |
Programmes must—
| (a) |
be delivered by members of staff who have the knowledge and training to deliver developmental programmes; |
| (b) |
be appropriate to the developmental stages of children; |
| (c) |
respect and nurture the culture, spirit, dignity, individuality, language and development of each child; |
| (d) |
provide opportunities for children to explore their world; and |
| (e) |
be organised in a way that each day offers variety and creative activities. |
| (2) |
Programmes aimed at helping children to realise their full potential |
| (a) |
Children must receive care, support and security. |
| (b) |
Programmes must promote children's rights to rest, leisure and play through the provision of a stimulating environment. |
| (c) |
Programmes must promote self discovery. |
| (d) |
Programmes must be evaluated and monitored. |
| (e) |
Programmes must promote and support the development of motor, communication and sensory abilities in children. |
| (f) |
Programmes must promote self control, independence and developmentally appropriate responsibility. |
| (g) |
Activities must promote free communication and interaction amongst children. |
| (h) |
Programmes must respect and nurture the culture, spirit, dignity, individuality, language and development of each child. |
| (3) |
Caring for children in a constructive manner and providing support and security |
| (a) |
Creative play and exploratory learning opportunities must be provided to children. |
| (b) |
Programmes must adhere to the following conditions: |
| (i) |
Toilet facilities must be safe and clean for children; |
| (ii) |
where there are no sewerage facilities, sufficiently covered potties must be available; |
| (iii) |
every child under the age of three years must have his or her own potty; |
| (iv) |
for ages three to six years, one toilet and one hand washing basin must be provided for every twenty children; |
| (v) |
there must be a place for the bathing of children; |
| (vi) |
discipline must be effected in a humane way and promote integrity with due regard to the child's developmental stage and evolving capacities. |
| (vii) |
Children may not be punished physically by hitting, smacking, slapping, kicking or pinching; |
| (viii) |
programmes must adhere to policies, procedures and guidelines related to health, safety and nutrition practices. These must relate to- |
| (aa) |
practices aimed at preventing the spread of contagious diseases; |
| (bb) |
at least one meal per day must be provided; |
| (cc) |
all meals and snacks should meet the nutritional requirements of children; and |
| (dd) |
where children are bottle-fed, a suitable facility must exist for cleaning the bottles; and |
| (ee) |
children must be supervised by an adult at all times. |
| (c) |
Programmes must meet the following requirements in relation to staff: |
| (i) |
Staff must be trained in implementing early childhood development programmes; |
| (ii) |
staff must be equipped with basic information, knowledge and skills to recognise children's serious illnesses and how to deal with those; |
| (iii) |
staff must be trained in first aid; |
| (iv) |
the staff-to-child ratio must— |
| (aa) |
for children between the ages one month and 18 months be, 1:6; |
| (bb) |
for children between the ages 18 months and three years be 1:12; |
| (cc) |
for children between the ages three and four years be 1:20; and |
| (dd) |
for children between the ages five and six years, 1:30; and |
(v) for every staff member stipulated above, there must be an assistant.
| (4) |
Ensuring development of positive social behaviour |
| (a) |
Programmes must promote understanding of and respect for diversity in gender, language, religion and culture. |
| (b) |
Activities must include parents and care-givers in the development of positive social behaviour in children. |
| (c) |
Programmes must promote the development of positive social values. |
| (d) |
Programmes must be conducted in a non-discriminatory manner. |
| (e) |
Staff must demonstrate behaviour that promotes positive behaviour by modeling attitudes and interactions with children. |
| (5) |
Respect for and nurturing of the culture, spirit, dignity, individuality, language and development of each child |
| (a) |
Programmes must promote appreciation and understanding for children's culture and language. |
| (b) |
Educators must utilize one medium of instruction in class. |
| (c) |
Children must be allowed to communicate in the language of their choice and preference outside class. |
| (d) |
Cultural diversity must be encouraged and respected by educators and children alike. |
| (e) |
Programmes may, where appropriate, facilitate late birth registration. |
| (f) |
Programmes must contribute to the development of a sense of identity in children. |
| (6) |
Meeting the emotional, cognitive, sensory, spiritual, moral, physical, social and communication development needs of children |
| (a) |
Programmes must be appropriate to the developmental stages and evolving capacity of children. |
| (b) |
Programmes must ensure that parents and care-givers are involved in the development of children. |
| (c) |
Programmes must provide education and support to parents, caregivers and families to fulfil their responsibilities towards child-rearing and the holistic development of their children. |
| (d) |
Programmes must be accessible to especially vulnerable children in their homes. |
| (e) |
For children up to three years of age, programmes should, as much as possible, include household visits for increased accessibility to children. |
| (f) |
Programmes must promote cognitive development in children. |
| (g) |
Programmes must promote the development of fine sensory and motor skills in children. |
| (h) |
Activities must promote a positive relationship between the centre, families and the community. |
| (i) |
Programmes must teach age appropriate self control and independent behaviour. |
| (j) |
Existing community resources and strengths must be utilised in promoting the development of children. |
| (k) |
The emotional needs of children must be addressed and children must be encouraged to express their emotions in a safe, supportive and protective environment. |
| (l) |
Parents, care-givers and families of vulnerable children, children with disabilities and child-headed households must be provided with information, knowledge and skills to promote the development of their children. |
| (m) |
Children must be enabled to develop a positive sense of identity and self worth. |
| (n) |
Programmes must be based on an integrated approach. |
| (o) |
Children should feel valued and respected when participating in activities. |
Human Sciences Research Council Act, 2008
