Ecosystemic factors influencing the accessibility of Early Childhood Development services for young children with disabilities

Abstract

There has been a growing recognition of the importance of development in the early years of a child globally. South Africa has been no exception in this regard, as since the establishment of the democratic government in 1994, increasing attention has been focused on Early Childhood Development (ECD). However, even though the South African government has created an enabling environment through policy and legislative framework relating to the provisioning of ECD services, to facilitate accessibility of ECD services, not all young children are able to access Early Childhood Development services, especially young children with disabilities. The research problem emanating from this situation therefore revolves around factors in the ecological environment which influence the accessibility of ECD services for young children with disabilities. The primary research question posed was: “What ecosystemic factors influence accessibility to ECD services for young children with disabilities between the ages of three to five years old”? The main aim of this study was to explore and identify ecosystemic factors which influence the accessibility of ECD services for young children with disabilities. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems theory was found to be the most relevant to facilitate the achievement of the research aim as indicated above. A qualitative study was conducted with purposeful sampling to select participants. Data collection was done through semi-structured group and individual interviews. The following findings were made: lack of knowledge; socio-economic issues/conditions; belief system; and the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders.