Imagine if every child, regardless of their circumstances, could receive the exact support they need to thrive in early learning. Unfortunately, in South Africa, creating truly inclusive environments for children with disabilities remains a significant challenge in early learning centres. Although there are efforts to provide all children with equal opportunities, many barriers stand in the way.
In our recent interview, we spoke with Nel Boshoff and Caren Pretorius-Kleynhans from Shonaquip, who work closely with caregivers of children with disabilities and early learning practitioners. Their insights highlight the challenges faced by children with disabilities and those supporting them. Barriers such as stigma, limited accessibility, resource shortages, and broader systemic issues often hinder children from accessing quality early learning opportunities.
You may have seen some of these challenges firsthand, and it’s clear that no child should have to navigate them alone. Let’s explore some of them:
Stigma and Isolation
One of the most significant barriers to inclusive learning comes from societal stigma surrounding disabilities. Many families, especially in rural and underserved areas, face social judgment that leads to the isolation of children with disabilities. Fear of ridicule or judgment often discourages parents and caregivers from bringing their children into public spaces or even sending them to early learning centres. Some parents and caregivers may even hide their children from the community to avoid negative reactions.
This isolation denies children with disabilities the opportunity to engage in early learning, depriving them of crucial social and cognitive development. To address this, efforts must be made to normalise the presence of children with disabilities in public life, including in early learning centres, schools and on public transportation. We need to foster environments where children with disabilities are accepted and supported. Society can help break down the walls of stigma and isolation that prevent these children from thriving.
Transportation Challenges
Transportation is another real difficulty for families with children with disabilities. Many caregivers struggle with the practicalities of getting their children to areas of learning. Poor road conditions in some areas make it difficult for families to transport children with mobility challenges, especially when they lack the necessary assistive devices like wheelchairs. Even when transportation is available, the costs associated with bringing mobility devices, or outright refusal by taxi drivers to transport these children, further complicate the situation.
Without reliable transportation options, many families are forced to keep their children at home, cutting them off from learning opportunities and reinforcing their isolation. There’s a need for collaboration to ensure accessible and affordable transport solutions for these families. This will enable them to overcome the logistical barriers that keep their children from accessing early learning opportunities.
Inadequate Parental Support and Information
Parents of children with disabilities often find themselves in a confusing and overwhelming situation, navigating a world that feels new and challenging after the birth of their child. While medical professionals might give parents the basics about their child’s condition, they rarely offer detailed guidance on how to truly support their child’s development. Many parents leave hospitals with little knowledge of whether their child can attend school or what resources are available to them.
Without early intervention and support, families often feel isolated and unsure about what the future holds for their child. That’s why it’s so important for healthcare providers and community organisations to step in with ongoing guidance and resources. These resources help parents and caregivers better understand their child’s unique needs and find the early learning opportunities they deserve. Without this kind of support, children with disabilities can miss out on those crucial developmental milestones that are so important during their early years.
Policy and Funding Gaps
Policies designed for early learning centres can occasionally present unforeseen challenges that hinder efforts to create fully inclusive learning environments for all children. Many centres simply don’t have the resources or infrastructure to support children with disabilities. Basic needs like helping children with nappies, giving medication, or ensuring wheelchair accessibility are often unmet due to limited funding and support. Although policies suggest that children who can’t be accommodated should be referred to alternative care centres, these options are frequently unavailable, leaving children without access to early learning opportunities.
The lack of home-based early learning programmes adds to the challenge, as it means children often don’t have support in their own homes. On top of this, early learning centres are stretched financially and can rarely afford to make necessary adjustments, like installing ramps or widening doorways for children with mobility needs. Without proper funding, inclusive learning remains out of reach for many children with disabilities.
Shortage of Assistive Devices and Therapies
For children with disabilities, having access to assistive devices and therapies is essential for their growth and learning. Unfortunately, many areas in South Africa struggle to provide these crucial resources. Children often find themselves on long waiting lists for vital services like speech therapy or audiology, which are key to their language development. For instance, Nel gave an example of one child who had to travel hundreds of kilometres from one district to another and wait for months just to receive speech therapy, highlighting the frustrating delays in getting the help they need.
When families can’t access early intervention services, it can lead to developmental delays that are tough to overcome, especially for those who can’t afford private options. This shortage of resources significantly affects children’s ability to learn and participate, ultimately limiting their educational and social growth.
Infrastructure Barriers
Many learning centres struggle to provide the infrastructure needed to accommodate children with disabilities, such as ramps, accessible bathrooms, and suitable classroom facilities. Without these key improvements, children who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices may not be able to attend early learning centres. Practitioners genuinely want to welcome all children, but the financial burden of upgrading their facilities makes this a daunting challenge.
Government support plays a vital role in closing these infrastructure gaps.
Building Parental and Caregiver Trust
Another significant barrier to inclusive learning is the mistrust that parents and caregivers have toward early learning centres. Many families hesitate to send their children with disabilities to these programmes due to concerns about their safety and care. Reports of theft or improper handling of medication further deepen this mistrust, making parents reluctant to enrol their children.
This scepticism is also influenced by the social stigma surrounding disabilities. Families worry their child may face ridicule or exclusion from peers, leading them to keep their children at home. Overcoming this barrier requires building a culture of empathy and inclusion within communities, where children of all abilities are welcomed and supported.
Parental Denial
Finally, some parents are reluctant to accept that their child may have a disability. This denial leads to resistance to diagnosis and intervention, resulting in children missing out on critical early learning opportunities. With Shonaquip’s support, some early learning practitioners have developed strategies to gently guide parents towards accepting their child’s needs, such as providing developmental milestone checklists to track progress. However, denial and stigma remain persistent challenges to fostering inclusive learning centres.
Collaborating for Inclusive Learning
Addressing the barriers to inclusive early learning in South Africa calls for a united effort from parents, caregivers, early learning practitioners, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and other key stakeholders in the ECD ecosystem. To foster a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for every child, it is essential to remove the social, logistical, and systemic obstacles that hinder children with disabilities from accessing early education. The collaborative approach will ensure that no child is left behind and allows every learner to reach their full potential.
Innovation Edge is committed to supporting innovations that promote inclusivity and empower early learning practitioners to accommodate all children. To dive deeper into the topic of inclusive learning, we encourage you to read our other article on inclusive learning for additional insights.
Author: Dimpho Lephaila – Communications Associate at Innovation Edge
Photo credit: Shonaquip