The early years of life are critical for physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development, yet many children in Kenya do not receive the nurturing care they need to thrive. Gaps in early stimulation, responsive caregiving, developmental monitoring, and psychosocial support place children, particularly those in underserved, refugee, and host communities—at risk of poor health, delayed development, and reduced learning outcomes. 

While Primary Health Care (PHC) services provide a vital entry point for reaching young children and caregivers, Early Childhood Development (ECD) is not consistently integrated into routine health services. Health workers and Community Health Promoters (CHPs) often have limited training and tools to identify developmental delays, support caregiver wellbeing, or promote early learning during routine contacts. As a result, opportunities for early intervention are frequently missed. 

Caregivers, especially mothers, also face high levels of stress, mental health challenges, and limited access to psychosocial support, factors that directly affect their ability to provide responsive care. These challenges are compounded in fragile and humanitarian settings, where displacement, poverty, and trauma further undermine child development and caregiver wellbeing. 

Without coordinated, multi-sectoral action that embeds nurturing care within PHC systems, children at risk of developmental delays may remain invisible, and inequities in early childhood outcomes will persist across communities and counties.