SOCIAL WORKER: SOCIAL SERVICES PROFESSIONAL: ECD: REF NO:

This position offers an opportunity for a qualified social worker or social auxiliary worker to contribute meaningfully to the early childhood development sector within the Western Cape Education Department. Based in Cape Town, the successful appointee will join the Early Childhood Development directorate on a three-year contract, providing essential administrative and compliance support across the full lifecycle of ECD service delivery. As a social services professional, the role requires a strong grounding in social work principles, combined with a practical understanding of ECD policies, age-appropriate stimulation, play-based learning, and the regulatory framework governing ECD centres. The work is central to ensuring that early childhood programmes meet registration standards and that subsidies reach compliant, quality providers.

Applicants must hold an appropriate certificate or bachelor’s degree in Social Auxiliary Work or Social Work, and must be registered with the South African Council for Social Service Profession as a social worker or social auxiliary worker. A minimum of two years of relevant experience in social work or social auxiliary work is required. Beyond that baseline, the role demands specific knowledge of early childhood development, including the policies and legislation that regulate ECD provisioning, the requirements for ECD registration, and the subsidy application process. Strong administrative and compliance skills are essential, particularly in record keeping, documentation, and the accurate application of registration criteria. The ability to monitor attendance, incidents, and progress within ECD programmes is also important, as is the capacity to mobilise community resources and work collaboratively with non-governmental organisations, clinics, schools, and other government departments. The post also requires scrupulous attention to data confidentiality and the ethical handling of sensitive information.

The core responsibilities revolve around providing compliance and administrative support across three interconnected areas: Registration, Infrastructure Support, and the ECD Subsidy process. The social worker will process, organise, and track centre-level documentation required for registration and funding, and will upload and manage digital records of ECD programmes on platforms approved by the Department of Basic Education. Monitoring application progress, flagging incomplete or incorrect submissions, and preparing district-level reports and data updates are all key tasks. The role also involves preparing evidence for site visit readiness, liaising with district officials, ECD centres, and field staff to coordinate follow-ups, and mapping and updating ECD centre information at the district level. In addition, the incumbent will accompany provincial and/or district officials on ECD site visits, supporting document collection, engaging with practitioners, and helping to resolve registration and subsidy queries in real time.

This is an OSD-graded post, meaning remuneration is determined according to the Occupation Specific Dispensation, based on years of experience after professional registration. The role is ideal for a social service professional who enjoys structured administrative work, values inter-agency collaboration, and is passionate about improving the quality and reach of early childhood services. It offers a unique opportunity to apply social work skills within a regulatory and compliance framework, contributing directly to the safety, well-being, and development of young children.