The pattern, frequency and suitability of informal day care provision for pre-school children in Khayelitsha
The study was designed to investigate the structure and function of informal day care provision for pre-school children in Khayelitsha, but the inquiry succeeded in generating information beyond the original assignment. Data was gathered from interviews with active in the day care field and from local agencies meetings with residents in Khayelitsha, as well as from a field study carried out in Khayelitsha. A review of international and local literature was also undertaken. A brief history of black settlement in the Western Cape and an examination of their socio-cultural environment provided the necessary backdrop for the study. The field study involved systematic selection of 200 houses in Khayelitsha. Respondents completed a questionnaire administered by the investigator. The questionnaire furnished information on the use of day care and produced a profile of day carers and the services they offered. A similar questionnaire was used to collect information from the pre-school centre. Analysis of the data revealed that child rearing practices differed from those of technologically advanced societies, but they were not deficient! The findings demonstrated that parents preferred day care in the home setting to that of the school setting. The pattern of day care services accentuates the importance of mutual aid and kinship and social networks in the community. Day care arrangements tended to be stable and were provided predominantly by relatives, friends and neighbours. The frequency with which day care services were required, corresponded to the work commitments of the parents, and usually involved overnight care. The pre-school centre operated during the weekdays from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm, with after-school care frequently undertaken by older siblings. The findings reveal that day carers function as surrogate mothers and incorporate the children into their families. The data collected with regard to suitability of the service offered, relates to physical needs, emotional needs, discipline and promoting readiness for the future, and emphasizes the universal poverty that abounds in the area, but simultaneously highlights the importance of traditions and the resourcefulness of the people in transcending the culture of poverty and providing an enriching environment for the children. The recommendations draw attention to the need for finance, training and supportive services, but recognises the justified resistance of the community to initiatives from the State.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations