July 1, 2026 – This book is the third volume in the Human Functioning, Technology and Health Book Series. It presents contributions from researchers across the health, education and social sciences, offering new insights into the complex factors shaping the well-being and development of young children and their families. Focusing on the realities of early childhood development in South Africa and other resource-constrained settings, the book brings together interdisciplinary scholarship that responds to the urgent need for locally grounded evidence and contextually relevant interventions.
The volume examines the realities influencing child development in the early years, including poverty, prenatal exposure to harmful substances, HIV, unequal access to services and broader social and cultural influences on health and education. Across a wide range of themes—from maternal mental health, nutrition and feeding, to language development, hearing, play, motor development and education—the contributors demonstrate how context-sensitive interventions can improve developmental outcomes and advance equitable access to care and support.