Following a national consultation with Early Childhood Development (ECD) organisations across the country, a need for a national organisation, to provide ECD leadership and management skills training, policy development for the new Government and training of ECD practitioners in the new education system, was observed.

Since then the Centre has expanded its range of services to include infrastructure upgrades, work with children affected with HIV, training of Governing Bodies and provision of technology and training in order to bridge the digital divide.

• The Centre for Early Childhood Development is committed to putting young children first by ensuring quality care and education for our country’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens. We aim to do this by improving the early childhood development (ECD) services in South Africa through training, support and advice in the field of early childhood development.
• The Centre for Early Childhood Development is an Association not for Gain (Section 21 Company) and has Section 18A status in terms of the Income Tax Act. 
• The Centre for Early Childhood Development provides training, support and advice in the field of early childhood development by offering courses and programmes aimed at enhancing individual and organisational capacity; by developing and disseminating resources; and by carrying out research specifically related to the African context.
• The Centre is fully accredited as an ECD training provider by the ETDP-SETA.
• The Centre finances its administrative costs through the sale of its services (training, project management, consultancy, publications and research) and specific programmes and projects through grants from supporting donors.  Based in Cape Town, South Africa we offer services and programmes country wide, increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of early childhood development provision to all South Africa's children.