Essays on the economics of early childhood development : spatial inequalities, service provision, and parental investment

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dc.contributor.advisorvon Fintel, Dieteren_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLeach, Grace Margaret Maryen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Economics.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-26T08:54:37Z
dc.date.accessioned2024-04-26T12:52:58Z
dc.date.available2024-02-26T08:54:37Z
dc.date.available2024-04-26T12:52:58Z
dc.date.issued2024-03
dc.descriptionThesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH SUMMARY: Healthy development in early childhood is a promising mechanism for the reduction of intergenerational poverty, but multiple inputs are necessary at the same time for this to occur, which renders healthy child development a challenge in resource constrained environments. While there is increasing consensus regarding the elements that children need for healthy development, there is a gap in the literature as to how these elements can successfully be provided, especially in low- and middle income countries (LMICs). The home, the neighbourhood and the local government capacity for service provision are all critical elements of the context for effective early childhood development (ECD), or they present risk factors. This thesis addresses this knowledge gap by exploring how children in LMICs can be provided with the socioeconomic and government services they need to support healthy development. ECD refers to the healthy physical, cognitive, and socioemotional growth of young children. Economists have added their voice to those of other social scientists, documenting how ECD lays the foundations for cultivating skills that ensure socioeconomic security later in life, but also improves labour market productivity and economic growth potential. The discourse has increasingly emphasised Early Childhood Education (ECE) intervention, however, at the expense of prioritising a wider package of ECD services of which ECE is only one critical component. This thesis addresses this gap and emphasises the wider package which is needed for healthy child development. This dissertation will explore three topics in three essays related to the economics and spatial distribution of early childhood development. Chapter two addresses the concept of nurturing care and proposes a measurement of ECD services to account for the combination of services needed. The study is conducted using South African data, and applies Multidimensional Poverty Index methodology. The result reveals that many children lack essential services for healthy growth in South Africa. A positive correlation between public infrastructure service delivery and child cognitive outcomes is also revealed, indicating that improved municipal environments complement attendance in Early Learning Programs. Chapter three investigates barriers to providing services like water, sanitation and roads, which support ECD but require a network of infrastructure. Uneven regional provision perpetuates developmental inequalities in children. The study analyses the impact of terrain ruggedness and local state capacity on the implementation of national policies and access to public health infrastructure. Regions with poor historical state capacity have lower access to services, but improved capacity overcomes the ruggedness effect. Chapter four analyses internal household caregiving dynamics and studies the health implications of parental death or absence. Unsurprisingly, orphans and children with absent parents face worse health outcomes than those living with their parents. Paternal orphans show severe disadvantages in chronic health by age four; children without fathers are disadvantaged in terms of food security. The household environment plays a crucial role in counteracting the negative effects of paternal orphanhood. Household resources moderate the stunting penalty, but some effects remain unexplained, not linked to reduced socioeconomic status. The study emphasises the importance of multiple good-quality inputs for healthy child development.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gesonde ontwikkeling in vroee kinderjare is ‘n belowende meganisme om itergenerasionele armoede te verminder maar, verskeie insette is terselfdetyd nodig vir dit om te gebeur, wat gesonde kinderontwikkeling uitdagend maak in omgewings waar hulpbronne beperk is. Daar is toenemende konsensus oor die elemente wat kinders nodig het vir gesonde ontwikkeling maar daar is ‘n leemte in die literatuur oor hoe die elemente suksesvol verskaf kan word, veral in lae- en middelinkomstelande (LMICs). Die huis, die buurt en die plaaslike regering se kapasiteit vir diensverskaffing is kritiese elemente wat die konteks vir effektiewe vroee kinderontwikkeling (ECD) of heidige risikofaktore skep. Hierdie tesis ondersoek dus hoe kinders in LIMCs voorsien kan word van die sosio-ekonomiese en regeringsdienste wat hulle nodig het om gesonde ontwikkeling te ondersteun. ECD verwys na die gesonde fisiese, kognitiewe en sosioekonomiese groei van jong kinders. Ekonome het gedokumenteer hoe ECD die grondslag le om vaardighede te kweek wat sosio-ekonomiese sekuriteit later in die lewe verseker maar, ook arbeidsmarkproduktiwiteit en ekonomiese groeipotensiaal verbeter. Die diskoers het egter toenemend klem gelê op Vroee Kinderjare Onderrig (ECE) intervensies, ten koste van die prioritisering van ‘n wyer pakket van ECD dienste, waarvan ECE ‘n kritiese komponent is. Hierdie tesis spreek die leemte aan en le klem op die wyer pakket wat nodig is vir gesonde kinderontwikkeling. Die proefskrif sal drie onderwerpe in drie opstelle ondersoek in verband met die ekonomie en ruimtelike verspreiding van vroee kinderontwikkeling. Hoofstuk twee spreek die konsep van koesterende sorg aan en stel ‘n maastaf van ECD dienste voor wat die kombinasie van dienste wat nodig is in ag neem. Die studie is gedoen met die gebruik van Suid-Afrikaanse data en pas die Multidimensionele Armoede Indeks metodologie toe. Die uitslag wys dat vele kinders ‘n tekort het aan die nodige dienste vir gesonde groei in Suid-Afrika. ‘n Positiewe korrelasie tussen publieke infrastruktuur, dienslewering en kinders se kognitiewe uitkomstes dui aan dat verbeterde munisipale omgewings deelname aan Vroe Leerprogramme komplementeer. Hoofstuk drie ondersoek hindernisse tot diensverskaffing soos water, sanitasie en paaie wat ‘n netwerk van infrastruktuur benodig. Ongelyke streeks voorsiening vererger ontwikkelingsongelykhede onder kinders. Die studie analiseer die impak van die terreinruweid en die plaaslike staatskapasiteit vir die toepassing van nasionale beleide en toegang tot publieke gesondheidsinfrastruktuur. Streke met swak historiese staatskapasiteit het minder toegang tot dienste, maar vebeterde kapasiteit kan hierdie hindernisse oorkom. Hoofstuk vier draai na interne huishoudelike versorgingsdinamika en ondersoek die gesondheidsimplikasies van die dood of afwesigheid van ‘n ouer. Weeskinders en kinders wie se ouers afwesig is ondervind slegter gesondheidsuitkomstes as die wat by hul ouers woon. Vaderlike weeskinders toon drastiese nadele in kroniese gesondhied teen die ouderdom van vier en kinders sonder vaders is meer geneig om honger te ervaar. Die huishoudelike omgewing speel ‘n kritiese rol daarin om die negatiewe effekte van vaderlike weeskinders teen te staan. Huishoudelike hulpbronne kan die belemmeringstraf modereer maar sekere effekte bly steeds onverklaard en nie gekoppel aan verminderde sosio-ekonomiese status nie. Die studie le klem op die belangrikheid van verskeie goeie kwaliteit insette vir gesonde kinderontwikkeling.af_ZA
dc.description.versionDoctorate
dc.format.extentxiii, 228 pages : illustrations, maps, includes annexures
dc.identifier.urihttps://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130308
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch University
dc.subject.lcshChild development -- Economic aspectsen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshParents -- Decision making -- Economic aspectsen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshEarly childhood educationen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshInvestments -- Decision makingen_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTD
dc.titleEssays on the economics of early childhood development : spatial inequalities, service provision, and parental investmenten_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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