The organization and challenges of childcare services in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review

Quality childcare is central to child development, gender equality, and economic productivity, yet childcare services (CCSs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remain poorly understood and weakly governed. This scoping review, conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR, synthesizes peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2023 on the organization of CCSs in SSA. Nineteen eligible studies reveal a highly diverse childcare landscape encompassing public, private, community-based, and informal providers with significant implications for equity and quality. Most curricula emphasize child minding and safety over structured developmental stimulation, and regulatory oversight is largely limited to formal centers, leaving the extensive informal sector largely unregulated and unsupported. Widespread challenges—including inadequate funding, weak supervision, untrained staff, and infrastructural deficits—reflect broader structural constraints. Together, the findings underscore the need for integrated policy reforms, expanded public investment, and strengthened support systems to ensure equitable, developmentally nurturing childcare across the region.