In Uganda, data and research on childcare for children under three years of age are quite limited, reflecting a broader trend observed in other low- and middle-income countries.
Much of the available data and literature on early childhood care and education in Uganda focuses on children aged three to five years.
A World Bank report reveals that formal childcare services are generally scarce and unevenly distributed.
The 2019 Master List of Education Institutions in Uganda identified over 28,000 preprimary education facilities (UBOS 2019), but these predominantly serve children aged three to five years.
Only 1% operate as daycare centers, presumably providing services for children under three years of age.
The few existing childcare facilities are largely situated in urban areas and are privately run, making them expensive and often inaccessible to lower-income families.
Because formal childcare services are scarce, many families depend on informal care arrangements to meet their childcare needs, such as extended family or neighbors.
Others rely on community-based childcare initiatives, such as play centers or community-based early childhood development (ECD) centers, established or supported by non-governmental organizations.
The absence of adequate and affordable childcare services has significant implications for both the child and the primary caregiver, often leading women to bring their children to work or leave them at home with another child.
For example, a study found that 38% of self-employed women brought their children to work with them.
Apart from the potential risks to the child's health, providing their own childcare while working restricts the range of jobs mothers can seek and may result in a shift to lower-paid but more flexible work in the informal sector.
In some cases, children are left at home with no adult supervision or in the care of child siblings.
Results from the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey indicate that up to 46.7% of children under the age of five were left in the care of other children under 10 years old, while 20.2% were left alone.
Higher rates were observed in rural areas and poorer households.
This study highlights the legal, policy, and institutional frameworks supporting childcare provision for children under three years of age and suggests ways to strengthen the enabling environment.
