Early Childhood Development Center Owners’ Experiences of Navigating Regulatory Compliance in Johannesburg, South Africa: A Qualitative Case Study

Although South Africa has developed policies to improve early childhood development (ECD), many ECD centers in low-income communities remain non-compliant with regulatory requirements, limiting their access to government subsidies and formal support. This study explores ECD center owners’ experiences of navigating the streamlined compliance process in Johannesburg. A qualitative multiple-case study design was used, involving in-depth interviews with five ECD center owners engaged with a municipal ECD Compliance Task Team. The findings indicate that participants entered ECD provision through a combination of community childcare needs, care commitments and livelihood necessity. Participants described material and financial barriers to compliance, including infrastructure requirements, building-plan costs and administrative complexity. They also described receiving practical support from the Compliance Task Team and partner organizations, although support did not result in uniform completion of the compliance process. The COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted operations through center closures, income loss, reduced enrolment and additional operating requirements. The findings highlight the importance of understanding regulatory compliance from the perspective of ECD providers and suggest that coordinated administrative support may help providers navigate complex compliance processes.