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Fragmented data systems in sub-Saharan Africa show limited coverage of Nurturing Care Framework domainsMapping early childhood data systems across sub-Saharan Africa
Frontiers in MedicinePublished October 24, 2026Study authors: Kenneth Okello, George Evans Owino, Evitar Aluoch Ochieng’, Daniel Mwanga, Eubert Munywere, Nelson L…DOI ↗Editorial oversight: Dr. Sofia Müller, MD · Lifespan & Whole-Person Care
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Key Takeaway
Note that current ECD data systems in sub-Saharan Africa are fragmented and lack comprehensive Nurturing Care Framework coverage.
This scoping review maps early childhood development (ECD) data systems across sub-Saharan Africa, specifically focusing on 44 systems across 9 countries. The review evaluates these systems based on their coverage of the Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) domains, which include health, nutrition, early learning, responsive caregiving, and safety and security.
Findings indicate that while 68.2% of systems (30) include health indicators and 40.9% (18) include nutrition, other domains are significantly less represented. Early learning was included in 29.5% (13) of systems, while safety and security (15.9%), responsive caregiving (13.6%), and cross-cutting financing indicators (18.2%) were included in a minority of platforms. Only 3 platforms and 1 multi-country survey instrument covered all five NCF domains.
Several limitations were noted, including the fact that most Kenyan platforms were not specifically designed for ECD and many systems suffer from irregular updates or limited public accessibility. The authors highlight that data systems are currently fragmented along sectoral lines, and no single system provides information across all five NCF components at a subnational level. These findings suggest a need for interoperable, standards-based platforms to address the fragmented data landscape in the region.
To help children thrive, experts need a clear picture of their health, nutrition, and safety. A review of 49 records across sub-Saharan Africa looked at the tools used to track these early childhood milestones. The study found that while many systems exist, they are often fragmented and don't tell the whole story of a child's life.
In the search for data, the study identified 44 different systems across nine countries. More than half of these were based in Kenya. While these systems are useful, they mostly focus on health. For example, 30 systems tracked health, but only 7 tracked safety and security. Other areas, like early learning and responsive caregiving, were even less common in the data.
Because the current systems are often separated by different sectors, it is hard to see a complete picture of a child's development. Only a tiny number of platforms managed to cover all five key areas of care. The study highlights a need for better ways to connect these pieces of information so that policymakers can better support every child.
What this means for you:
Most early childhood data systems focus on health, leaving gaps in tracking nutrition, safety, and learning.
Common questions
What parts of child development are currently being tracked?
The study found that health is the most common area tracked, appearing in 30 systems. Nutrition is the second most common, appearing in 18 systems. However, early learning, safety and security, and responsive caregiving are much less common, appearing in only 13, 7, and 6 systems respectively.
Are these data systems easy to use and updated?
The review found several challenges with current systems. Many platforms suffer from irregular updates or limited public access. Additionally, many systems are fragmented, meaning they are split into different sections rather than providing a complete, unified view of a child's development.
How many systems were found in Kenya?
Out of the 44 systems identified across nine countries, more than half (23 systems) were based in Kenya. However, the study noted that most of these Kenyan platforms were not specifically designed for early childhood development.
Study Details
Study typeSystematic review
EvidenceLevel 1
PublishedOct 2026
View Original Abstract ↓
Holistic child development requires a nurturing environment, yet aggregated data on how children fare across the five Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) domains; health, nutrition, early learning, responsive caregiving, and safety and security, remain scarce, especially where vulnerabilities cluster. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the absence of comprehensive, real-time, actionable data impedes timely, evidence-based action to promote healthy development and prevent developmental delays. This scoping review mapped early childhood development (ECD) and ECD-related data systems in SSA, focusing on Kenya and profiling three counties (Nairobi City, Isiolo and Homa Bay).
Following Arksey and O′Malley’s framework with Levac et al.’s refinements, we searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, African Journals Online (AJOL), Scopus, APA PsycINFO and PsycNet (August 2010–August 2025), plus grey literature from Google Scholar, OpenGrey and national and subnational reports and websites. Of 2,773 records, 2,703 were screened after deduplication and 222 full texts assessed, yielding 49 records describing 44 ECD and ECD-related data systems, sources and platforms. Two reviewers extracted system type, indicators and sources, linkages, stakeholders, and reported challenges and lessons.
Five ECD dashboards were identified: UNICEF’s ECD Dashboard; the National Evaluation Platform (Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania); the Tanzanian ECD Dashboard; and two South African platforms, Ecdinfohub.org and HearScreen. Overall, 44 systems were identified across nine countries, as well as regional and LMIC-wide sources; More than half (23/44; 52.3%) were based in Kenya, including five county-specific platforms. Coverage of the Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) domains was uneven: Health indicators were the most commonly represented (30 systems, 68.2%), followed by nutrition (18, 40.9%). In contrast, early learning (13, 29.5%), safety and security (7, 15.9%), and responsive caregiving (6, 13.6%) were substantially less represented. Only eight systems (18.2%) included cross-cutting financing indicators. Most Kenyan platforms were not specifically designed for ECD, and several suffered from irregular updates or limited public accessibility. Common challenges across systems included technical limitations, poor data quality, insufficient capacity, fragmented data ecosystems, and weak links between data and policy processes. Notably, only three platforms and one multi-country survey instrument, the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) covered all five domains, none of them subnationally at child level.
ECD data in Kenya and SSA remain fragmented along sectoral lines, and no single system generates the information on indicators across the five components of NCF. Closing this gap requires an interoperable, standards-based platform that federates rather than replaces sectoral systems, built on an agreed minimum ECD indicator package and explicit metadata governance.
