*Article* **Exploring Factors That Could Potentially Have Affected the First 1000 Days of Absent Learners in South Africa: A Qualitative Study**

**Carien van Zyl and Carlien van Wyk \***

Centre for Child, Youth and Family Studies, COMPRES, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa; carienshalom@gmail.com

**\*** Correspondence: Carlien.VanWyk@nwu.ac.za; Tel.: +27-21-8643593

**Abstract:** Background: The first 1000 days of life—from conception to the second birthday of children —is widely recognized as the most crucial development phase, which could have long lasting effects on the health and well-being of children throughout their lives. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore and describe factors that could potentially have affected the first 1000 days of absent learners in the Foundation Phase within the Paarl-East community in the Western Cape of South Africa. Methods: The data for this qualitative descriptive study were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 biological mothers of absent learners in the Foundation Phase, who resided in Paarl East. The transcribed texts were analyzed by making use of a thematic data analysis. Results: The findings revealed six predominant themes that played a role during the first 1000 days of the lives of these absent learners. Conclusion: It was concluded from the findings in this study that factors, such as health and nutrition of both the mothers and their children, substance use/abuse during pregnancy, toxic stress, support received by the mothers and their children, attachment, attentive care, and stimulation and play, could have affected the first 1000 days of the absent learners in this study. Since this study did not aim to confirm a correlation between the first 1000 days and absenteeism, but solely to explore factors affecting the first 1000 days, conclusions regarding cause and effect was not possible.

**Keywords:** absent learners; biological mothers; first 1000 days; Foundation phase
