@covaw, under the
#ACTProject, attended the
@ecdnetwork_ke side event during
#DevolutionConference2025, themed “Advancing Inclusive, Accessible and Quality ECD Services through County-Level Coordination and Investment.” During the panel discussion led by ECD Network,
@nurture_first, a key player in the childcare ecosystem, gave a thought-provoking presentation on the state of informal home-based childcare in Murang’a, Mombasa, and Kisumu.
One finding from their mapping really stood out, 51% of childcare workers use their own resources to care for children. It’s clear we need better policies, dedicated funding and fair pay so that care workers and the children they look after can thrive.
This message echoed wider
#DevCon2025 discussions including holding duty bearers accountable at all levels of government, ensuring every county develops and enforces a sexual harassment policy, and prioritising childcare policy reviews that reflect the realities of local communities. These measures are essential if we are to truly value childcare as a vital service.
Childcare should never be an afterthought, and childcare work, like any other profession, must be prioritised, recognised, respected, and fairly compensated.