**3. Results**

The results were based on interviews with 18 biological mothers of absent learners in the Foundation Phase. The biographical data of the participants are presented in Table 1.



The data analysis revealed six themes, which were further divided into sub-themes. The sub-themes indicated the various factors that could potentially have affected the first 1000 days of the absent learners in the Foundation Phase. See Figure 2.

**Figure 2.** A graphical representation of the six main themes (condensed version) that could potentially have affected the Figure 1000. days of absent learners in the Foundation Phase.
