The new Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini, made the following undertakings at the opening of the Early Childhood Development Awards in Johannesburg on 8 November 2010.

The Department of Social Development will:

• Monitor and ensure that all ECD centres operate in line with the Children’s Act. Central to this is the screening of all people who work at centres.
• Review the amount of the ECD subsidy, as the subsidy as its stands (at R12 – R 14) may not be enough, especially for vulnerable children, orphans and children living with disabilities.
• Capacitate service providers to meet government expectations and standards.
• Develop a coherent ECD curriculum.
• Mobilise communities, especially in rural areas, to support the establishment, registration and subsidization of ECD centres and initiatives.

Click here to view a copy of the Minister’s speech.