Londt, MarcelAllie, Riedewhaan2022-08-082024-11-072022-08-082024-11-072022https://hdl.handle.net/10566/18678Philosophiae Doctor - PhDInternational research studies on early childhood development (ECD) confirm the importance of ECD as a key social policy phenomenon. In the South African context, this is a significant social developmental policy and planning consideration, where 5.3 million children under the age of 5 years, are living in households with a monthly income of R604, and only 1 million have access to ECD services. Through organisational service innovation in the Western Cape, an in-depth policy case study of the Family in Focus (FIF) programme, developed and implemented by the Western Cape Foundation for Community Work (WC FCW), may be considered a potential model for broader national policy innovation in the ECD field.enEarly childhood developmentSocial WorkWestern CapePovertyFamilyUniversity of the Western Cape