Rapid urbanization in low- and middle income countries (LMICs) has triggered a childcare crisis. As families move to the city, they leave behind extended family and traditional support networks; parents and guardians - particularly mothers - are working long hours outside the home often in informal and unstable jobs. In response to the increasing demand a range of informal, private and NGO providers have sprung up to provide day, and sometimes night, care. Governments are struggling to respond, and the care for children in the early years frequently falls between ministries. The combination of these factors in LMIC cities has left children from low-income families with substandard childcare which poses a threat to their immediate and long-term health and development.
The goal of this Research Topic is to bring this global challenge to the attention of academics from multiple disciplines and to policy makers at city, national and global levels. Addressing the childcare challenge in urban areas is dependent on the trans-disciplinary thinking and action. Academics and policy makers focused on child-development, child health and nutrition, education, women’s empowerment, economy and labor market as well as those focused on urban design and slum-upgrading will be encouraged to submit papers to meet this goal.
This topic aims to gather papers that can provide evidence for policy-makers, donors and practitioners of the nature of demand for childcare, models of childcare that can feasibly, sustainably and effectively be delivered in urban poor neighborhoods and policy implications. The editors of this topic support and encourage research leadership on this issue from the global south. The following themes are welcomed into this collection:
1) Current childcare practices in LMIC urban areas;
2) Child health, nutrition, development impacts of current childcare practices or center-based childcare;
3) Feasibility, sustainability and effectiveness of childcare models in urban areas that aim to reach low-income families;
4) Impacts of center-based childcare on women’s empowerment and employment;
5) Impacts of center-based childcare on the family, e.g. role of fathers, parental stress;
6) Analysis of policy and practice relating to center-based childcare in LMICs;
7) Evaluations of wider system support to childcare providers, e.g. from health or social care sectors;
8) Feasible and appropriate ways to measure child health and ECD outcomes within childcare settings in LMICs;
9) The socio-economic contexts of urban environments and how they influence childcare and family life.
We welcome research papers using appropriate and rigorous methods including systematic reviews and policy reviews.
Rapid urbanization in low- and middle income countries (LMICs) has triggered a childcare crisis. As families move to the city, they leave behind extended family and traditional support networks; parents and guardians - particularly mothers - are working long hours outside the home often in informal and unstable jobs. In response to the increasing demand a range of informal, private and NGO providers have sprung up to provide day, and sometimes night, care. Governments are struggling to respond, and the care for children in the early years frequently falls between ministries. The combination of these factors in LMIC cities has left children from low-income families with substandard childcare which poses a threat to their immediate and long-term health and development.
The goal of this Research Topic is to bring this global challenge to the attention of academics from multiple disciplines and to policy makers at city, national and global levels. Addressing the childcare challenge in urban areas is dependent on the trans-disciplinary thinking and action. Academics and policy makers focused on child-development, child health and nutrition, education, women’s empowerment, economy and labor market as well as those focused on urban design and slum-upgrading will be encouraged to submit papers to meet this goal.
This topic aims to gather papers that can provide evidence for policy-makers, donors and practitioners of the nature of demand for childcare, models of childcare that can feasibly, sustainably and effectively be delivered in urban poor neighborhoods and policy implications. The editors of this topic support and encourage research leadership on this issue from the global south. The following themes are welcomed into this collection:
1) Current childcare practices in LMIC urban areas;
2) Child health, nutrition, development impacts of current childcare practices or center-based childcare;
3) Feasibility, sustainability and effectiveness of childcare models in urban areas that aim to reach low-income families;
4) Impacts of center-based childcare on women’s empowerment and employment;
5) Impacts of center-based childcare on the family, e.g. role of fathers, parental stress;
6) Analysis of policy and practice relating to center-based childcare in LMICs;
7) Evaluations of wider system support to childcare providers, e.g. from health or social care sectors;
8) Feasible and appropriate ways to measure child health and ECD outcomes within childcare settings in LMICs;
9) The socio-economic contexts of urban environments and how they influence childcare and family life.
We welcome research papers using appropriate and rigorous methods including systematic reviews and policy reviews.