Challenges in Accessing Daycare Services

By Admin

Daycare centres provide care for children and infants who are not fully independent while their parents or guardians are at work. Becoming a mother at a young age comes along with many challenges and responsibilities, especially for those from underprivileged families, as the boys who sire the children often evade responsibility. According to the Kenya Data and Health Survey (2014), one in five girls aged 15 to 19 is either pregnant or already a mother. By 2019, Kenya had the third-highest teenage pregnancy rate, with 82 births per 1,000. Additionally, over 13,000 teenage girls leave school each year due to pregnancy. OAY had the chance to revisit the Lungalunga Youth Centre to follow up with teenage mothers who had dropped out of school because of pregnancy and assess their well-being since the last visit. During discussions with these young mothers, the topic of absent fathers arose; 98% reported that the boys involved in the pregnancies abandoned them once they learned the girls were pregnant or after the babies were born. Consequently, the burden falls heavily on the mothers, who must find ways to support both themselves and their children. OAY sought to understand where these young mothers leave their babies while they work each day. Several questions emerged: Are there daycare facilities nearby? What are the costs? What experiences do mothers have in the available daycares? What suggestions do they have for improving these facilities?

In the Lungalunga area, they identified four daycare centers: Arise and Shine, Reuben Primary, California Daycare, and St. Barrack. Fees vary by age: Ksh 150 for infants aged 0-9 months, Ksh 100 for active babies and children aged 10 months to 2 years, and Ksh 50 for those over two years. Teen mothers reported challenges, including a lack of engaging materials such as toys, mattresses, and mats for napping. Additionally, insufficient caregivers result in some children being neglected, particularly during diaper changes and feeding times. The mothers suggested some solutions to improve the service delivery in the daycares. First, the daycare centers need more caregivers to ensure each child receives adequate attention. Moreover, the young mothers proposed availability of in-house nurses to care for children with health issues, provide first aid for accidents, and ensure proper nutrition. They further proposed that parents should verify the identity of those dropping off and picking up their children daily. Ultimately, every child deserves a supportive environment to grow and achieve their developmental milestones.