For the first time, Kenya has measured how children under five are growing, learning, and developing as part of a major national health survey, a move that could reshape how the country designs and delivers support for its youngest citizens.

The early years of a child's life are widely recognised as the most significant period of brain development. The quality of nurturing care a child receives during this time, including good health, adequate nutrition, safety and security, responsive caregiving, and opportunities for early learning, can shape children's growth and help them reach their full potential.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics completed data collection earlier this year across 30,000 households in 1,000 communities nationwide. Alongside established health indicators, the survey incorporated the World Health Organization's Global Scales for Early Development (GSED), a tool specifically designed to assess the holistic development of children from birth to three years old, capturing not just physical health but also how children are thinking, communicating, and interacting with the world around them.  

The tool was adapted for the Kenyan context, translated into local languages, and delivered using simple, engaging picture cards. Alongside it, a complementary tool developed by UNICEF, the Early Childhood Development Index 2030, was also incorporated into the survey measuring the development of children from three to five years old. Together, the two tools provided comprehensive coverage of early childhood development from birth to five years old.