Policy Matters: Government Leadership in Childcare Systems

Sustainable childcare systems need government leadership. Civil society and enterprises can innovate and deliver, but scale, equity, and lasting quality depend on public policy, regulation, financing, and coordination across levels of government.

CAC’s shared vision is explicit: a future where governments lead the quest for quality, affordable childcare for all. That leadership is not about crowding out partners—it is about setting direction, enabling local actors, and holding the system accountable to children’s best interests.

Lessons from Kenya and peer contexts point to the value of clear regulatory pathways, policy dialogues that include practitioners, and reforms that balance quality standards with affordability and inclusion. When regulation is developed with those who deliver care, it is more likely to be implementable and trusted.

The Childcare Legal, Policy and Regulatory Reforms Technical Working Group creates a structured space for these conversations—linking policymakers, researchers, and sector actors around shared priorities and evidence.

Policy matters because it shapes what is possible for children, workers, and families. Coordinated advocacy, open learning, and government-led frameworks are how Pan-African childcare ambitions become durable public goods.