Together with Ilifa Labantwana, and Research on Socioeconomic Policy (RESEP) at Stellenbosch University, we are proud to present a webinar series exploring early childhood development systems within a South African context.
Each month, we convene researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and partners to examine the factors shaping the effective delivery of early childhood development services – including cost, compliance, user fees, multi-dimensional service delivery, child outcomes data, and the demand and supply of ECD programmes and facilities.
Grounded in evidence and focused on strengthening systems, the series aims to translate data into practical insight for decision-making and action.
Webinars take place on the first Wednesday of each month. Registration links are shared via DataDrive2030’s LinkedIn profile, newsletter, and direct email.
Upcoming webinar
TBD
Past webinars
JUNE 2026
An interactive discussion how sustained participation in quality, well‑regulated early learning can help close educational achievement gaps in South Africa; Jesal Kika-Mistry, RESEP
MAY 2026
An examination of how gender dynamics shape South Africa’s childcare system; Lerato Shai, Independent Labour Economist
APRIL 2026
A look at new findings on the drivers that best prepare children for school success, focusing on the early numeracy and literacy skills; Dr Mojtaba Soltanlou, UCL
MARCH 2026
An appraisal of Road-to-Health Booklets across ECD centres in under-resourced areas of Nelson Mandela Bay; Dr Jessica Ronaasen, DO MORE Foundation
4 FEBRUARY 2026
An unequal start: Impact of age of school entry on academic progression and performance in Grades 1-4; Bianca Böhmer, RESEP
2025
NOVEMBER 2025
Caring for the caregivers: Reimagining early childhood development through The Motherload lens; Prof. Ameeta Jaga, University of Cape Town
OCTOBER 2025
An exploration of key findings of the 2024 Thrive by Five Index, South Africa’s largest survey of preschool child outcomes; Sonja Giese, DataDrive2030
AUGUST 2025
An exploration of the relationship between socio-emotional skills at school entry and academic achievement in literacy and mathematics by Grade 2, using data from South Africa; Dr. Heleen Hofmeyr, Stellenbosch University
JULY 2025
An examination of findings from a mixed-methods study on the vaccination coverage and timeliness among children of adolescent mothers in the Eastern Cape; Dr Camille Wittesaele, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
JUNE 2025
Exploring the impact of a story-based teacher training programme on language and early literacy in 4- and 5-year-olds; Dr Kate Cain, Lancaster University, UK
MAY 2025
Using systems thinking for programme theory and evaluation in ECD; Dr Jessica Horler, DataDrive2030
APRIL 2025
Childcare and early childhood development expenditures in Africa: Comparative policy insights for advancing women’s economic empowerment; Kelsey Harris, Center for Global Development, Washington DC
MARCH 2025
Exploring the impact of austerity budgeting on South Africa’s public services; Thokozile Madonko, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies: Wits University
FEBRUARY 2025
Early childhood development in South Africa: Current and future workforce requirements; Gabrielle Wills, RESEP, and Dr Grace Leach, DG Murray Trust
2024
NOVEMBER 2024
A triple-cocktail approach for closing the ECD gap: Insights from the evaluation of the Yizani Sifunde collaborative project; Dr Tara Polzer Ngwato, Social Impact Insights Africa, and Dr Magali von Blottnitz, Wordworks
OCTOBER 2024
Post-COVID early childhood care and education enrolment gaps in South Africa: Exploring demand and supply influences; Dr Eldridge Moses, RESEP
SEPTEMBER 2024
Measuring stunting and tracking trends in prevalence: Conceptual and methodological considerations with a focus on South Africa; Dr Kate Rich, Wits University
AUGUST 2024
Promoting early childhood development through multi-dimensional service delivery in South Africa: A municipal view; Dr Grace Leach, RESEP
JULY 2024
Cost, compliance and user fees in the early childhood care and education sector in South Africa: Update using the 2021 ECD Census and 2021 Thrive by Five Index and baseline assessment data; Jesal Kika-Mistry, RESEP & Dr Gabrielle Wills, RESEP
JUNE 2024
Preschoolers’ motor, cognitive, and social-emotional functioning in South Africa: An exploration of differences between boys and girls; Dr Caylee Cook, DataDrive2030
