scholarly journals Early childhood teachers' and managers' lived experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Hasina Banu Ebrahim ◽  
Colwyn Martin ◽  
Lorayne Excell
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
World Health ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Global Pandemic

The declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation in March 2020 brought many changes to the early childhood sector internationally. The South African response is best understood in the context of an under-developed sector with pre-existing vulnerabilities. In this article, we present a contextual understanding of the lived experiences of early childhood development (ECD) teachers and managers during the lockdown and the opening phases of a risk-adjusted approach. Our use of a phenomenological lens together with systems theory provides a reality check through a focus on lived experiences. Data were produced through an online survey with 28 ECD teachers and managers. We conducted semi-structured interviews with a subset of 8 of these participants. Findings show that disruptions of COVID-19 led to entrenching inequities in service provision and early learning opportunities. These intersecting dimensions have implications for building effective ECD systems.

scholarly journals Implementation of audiovisual material in an early sequential bilingual model during the early years

2018 ◽  
pp. 76-99
Author(s):  
Diana Carolina Durango Isaza ◽  
Clara Inés Gómez Marín ◽  
Enrique Arias Castaño
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Audiovisual Material ◽  
Descriptive Case Study ◽  
Low Socioeconomic ◽  
The Public

This research arose from the need to consolidate a meaningful bilingual methodology for children from three to five years of age from low socioeconomic backgrounds belonging to the public education system, where they could begin learning English and Spanish by means of a bilingual methodology that provides them with the same opportunities as middle to upper class children. Its aim is to implement an Early Sequential Bilingual Methodology Model in a public Early Childhood Development Center - ECDC (Centro de Desarrollo Infantil - CDI), and to collect data from class observations, student’s responses, early childhood teachers’ and English teachers’ views as well as parents’ perceptions towards its methodology and implementation in order to consolidate the model. Likewise, it will provide children with new opportunities to develop higher cognitive and high order thinking skills that can maximize their academic performance throughout their school years. This present Early Sequential Bilingual Model is a descriptive case study funded by a public university in Colombia and was implemented in a public ECDC (CDI) in Pereira (Risaralda-Colombia) based on the bilingual methodological proposals portrayed by Rodao (2011) and Arias et al. (2015). This research project depicts and systematizes the most predominant methodological techniques employed when teaching English at public ECDCs (CDIs) and interprets their effectiveness based on the data collected from interviews, fieldnotes and surveys. This article describes the responses of three- to five-year-old children to audiovisual material implemented in class.

scholarly journals Nursing strategies for child health surveillance

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Sayuri Yakuwa ◽  
Sarah Neill ◽  
Débora Falleiros de Mello
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Child Growth ◽  
Health Surveillance ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Child Health Surveillance

ABSTRACT Objective: to appreciate the strategies promoted by nurses in the context of child health surveillance relevant to early childhood development. Method: this is a qualitative study with an inductive thematic analysis of the data, based on the conceptual principles of child health surveillance, and developed through semi-structured interviews with Brazilian nurses working with families in primary health care. Results: the nurses’ strategies in favor of child health surveillance focus on actions that anticipate harm with continuous follow-up and monitoring of health indicators. The process of child growth and development is the basis for responses and benefits to health, connection with the daily lives of families, active search, articulations between professionals and services, access to comprehensive care, and intrinsic actions between promotion, prevention and health follow-up. Conclusion: child health surveillance actions developed by nurses with families involve knowledge sharing, favor the resolution of problems, increase child health indicators, and strengthen the relationship between health and children’s rights, which support the promotion of development in early childhood.

scholarly journals Integrated early childhood development policy in Iran: a qualitative policy process analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Omolbanin Atashbahar ◽  
Ali Akbari Sari ◽  
Amirhossein Takian ◽  
Alireza Olyaeemanesh ◽  
Efat Mohamadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Routine Data ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Intersectoral Collaboration ◽  
Structured Interviews

Abstract Background Integrated early childhood development (IECD) is a comprehensive approach to optimal development of children in different developmental domains from fetal stage to eight years of age. The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting the process of policy-making for early childhood development and to clarify how these factors affect decision-making and create challenges in this regard. Method In a qualitative study, we used two main data sources including document analyses and interviews. Using purposive sampling, forty semi-structured interviews with policymakers and informants in the fields related to children were conducted in Tehran from October 2017 to June 2018. Also, 62 national and 10 international relevant documents were reviewed. A deductive-inductive approach was used to analyze the data. We used the MAXQDA11 software for data management. Results we identified 13 themes and 29 subthemes related to the stages of policymaking process including: Agenda setting (problem stream, policy stream, politics stream), Policy formulation (formulation and approval process, policy sustainability, mechanisms of stakeholders’ participation in policymaking), Policy implementation (conceptual ambiguity, intersectoral and trans-sectoral issues, structural capacities, mobilization of resources), and Policy evaluation (continuous and routine data registry system, comprehensiveness of indexes). We propose 19 policy recommendations to improve the situation. Conclusion As a multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral field with different domains, early childhood development (ECD) requires a more active role on the part of policymakers in governmental levels in supporting the related policies. Unless policymakers change their approach to decrease nonintegrated and non-comprehensive policymaking for ECD, child development will be compromised, which endangers the eventual sustainability of the society since improved IECD policy-making process improves developmental outcomes in children. In this regard, attention should be paid to the role of reinforcing intersectoral collaboration through incorporating it in the missions and the evaluation items of organizations, creating commitment in high organizational levels, and developing an inter-ministerial policymaking framework that clearly specifies the roles and responsibilities of every single sector and their interactions and collaborations.

scholarly journals Community perspectives on early childhood development in Kenya: A qualitative study.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianna Alex ◽  
Catherine Raciti ◽  
Dr. Megan McHenry
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Key Informants ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Nutrition Communication

Background and Hypothesis: Kenyan children are at risk for having delayed early childhood development (ECD). The Care for Child Development (CCD) is a program created by UNICEF for the promotion of ECD by increasing caregiver’s knowledge about attitudes, nutrition, communication, playing, and physical health. The objective of this study was to assess key informants’ and caregivers’ perspectives on ECD and the introduction of this CCD-based intervention within the community, as well as caregivers’ perspectives on ECD after receiving the intervention. We hypothesize that caregivers who implement CCD practices into their daily life will have increased nurturing interactions with their children and positively influence their child’s development. Experimental Design or Project Methods: This study used semi-structured interviews of key informants and focus group discussions of caregivers to elicit perspectives on ECD and a CCD-based intervention in Eldoret, Kenya. The intervention was a curriculum adapted from the CCD program administered within 10 mother-group sessions. Caregivers were interviewed both before and after the intervention, while key informants were interviewed at one time-point. All interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed and translated. Qualitative analysis was performed using Dedoose software. Results: Collectively, community members and caregivers believed the relationships a child has with their caregiver, family, and community greatly influences their development. In addition, they believed emotional burden and social stigma are challenges caregivers experience and this limits their ability to take their child to necessary medical services. The intervention group appreciated the parental ECD education and further disseminated the information to other caregivers and members in their community. Conclusion and Potential Impact: By understanding the community’s collective views, we can implement the CCD program more effectively in Kenya and empower caregivers with the knowledge on how to create an environment that stimulates ECD.

scholarly journals Using the Mothers Object Relations Scale for early childhood development research in rural India: Findings from the Early Life Stress Sub-study of the SPRING Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial (SPRING-ELS)

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Sunil S. Bhopal ◽  
Reetabrata Roy ◽  
Deepali Verma ◽  
Divya Kumar ◽  
Bushra Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Object Relations ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
World Health ◽  
First Time

Background: The World Health Organization and others promote responsive caregiving to support all children to thrive, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The 14-item Mother’s Object Relations Scales – Short Form (MORS-SF) may be of use in research and public health programmes because of its basis in attachment theory and ability to capture parental feelings towards their child. Methods: We culturally adapted the MORS-SF for use with mothers in the SPRING home visits trial when their infants were 12 months old. The same dyads were assessed using the HOME inventory concurrently and Bayley Scales of Infant Development III (BSID-III) at 18 months of age. Mixed effects linear regression was used to examine associations between MORS-SF (explanatory variable) and HOME-IT, and the cognitive, language and motor domains of BSID-III (outcome variables). Results: 1273 dyads completed all assessments. For the motor and language BSID-III scales and for HOME-IT there were strong and positive associations with the MORS-SF warmth sub-scale, and strong and negative associations with the invasion sub-scale. Important but less strong associations were seen with the BSID-III cognitive scale. Evidence of interaction suggested that both are individually important for child development. Conclusions: This is the first time MORS-SF has been used in India where optimising responsive caregiving is of importance in supporting all children to reach their potential. It is also the first time that the tool has been used in relation to child development. MORS-SF could be a valuable addition to evaluation in early childhood development.

scholarly journals Tapping into Leadership in Early Childhood Development Centers: Learning from the Lived Experiences of Principals in South African Townships

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824402110613
Author(s):  
Sibonelo Blose ◽  
Evelyn Muteweri
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
South African ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Community Based

Leadership is one of the critical drivers of educational institutions and has been overwhelmingly researched across countries. However, there is little with regards to early childhood development centers in the scholarship of educational leadership. South Africa has an assortment of early childhood development centers (ECD) ranging from fully registered and well-resourced centers in affluent areas to less regulated and poorly resourced community-based centers in townships, informal settlements and rural areas. In these centers, there are individuals performing a pivotal role of leading and managing the institutions. In this paper, we hone in on these individuals, specifically in a township setting, whom we refer to as ECD center principals. By means of narrative inquiry methodology, we solicited and interpreted the lived experiences of selected ECD center principals to garner an understanding of what it means to lead an ECD center in a township setting. The paper makes two broad contributions, namely, ECD center principals’ self-cognitions and their experiences of leading centers in townships.

scholarly journals Development of WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep for Children Less Than 5 Years of Age

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juana Willumsen ◽  
Fiona Bull
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
World Health ◽  
Assessment Development ◽  
Health Organization

Background: Physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for global mortality and a contributor to the increase in overweight and obesity. The Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity identified the need for guidance on physical activity, particularly for early childhood (<5 y), a period of rapid physical and cognitive development. Methods: The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed the first global guidelines on physical activity, sedentary, and sleep behaviors, building upon high-quality systematic reviews. The WHO guideline process is a rigorous, systematic, and transparent method for the development of recommendations, using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Evidence to Decision framework. It takes into consideration the strength of the evidence as well as values and preferences, benefits and harms, equity and human rights. Results: The authors summarize the first global guidelines on time spent in physical activity, sedentary behavior (including screen time and time spent restrained), and sleep patterns in infants (birth to 1 y of age), toddlers (1–2.9 y of age), and preschoolers (3–4.9 y of age). Conclusions: WHO is actively disseminating and supporting implementation of these guidelines by national adoption and adaptation, through links with early childhood development and the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030.

scholarly journals Integrated early childhood development policy in Iran: a stakeholder analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Omolbanin Atashbahar ◽  
Ali Akbari Sari ◽  
Amirhossein Takian ◽  
Alireza Olyaeemanesh ◽  
Efat Mohamadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Power Level ◽  
Stakeholder Analysis ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
High Level

Abstract Background Many stakeholders are involved in the complicated process of policy making in integrated early childhood development (IECD). In other words, there are many challenges for IECD policy making in developing countries, including Iran. The aim of this study was to identify potential stakeholders and their interactions in IECD policy making in Iran. Method A mixed-methods study was conducted in two phases in 2018. First, forty semi-structured interviews and a review of IECD-related documents were conducted to identify potential stakeholders and their roles. Second, using a designed checklist, these stakeholders were assessed for power, interest, and position in IECD policy making. Then, a map of stakeholders and a three-dimensional stakeholder analysis figure were designed. Results The results of this study showed that various stakeholders, including governmental, semi-governmental, social, non-governmental and international organizations, potentially influence IECD policy in Iran. They were found to have diverse levels of power, interest and position in this regard, leading to their different impacts on the process. This diversity is assumed to have affected their levels of participation and support. Also, we found that the stakeholders with a high-power level do not have a high level of interest in, or support for, IECD policy. In general, organizational competition, complicated inter-sectoral nature of this process, insufficient budget, insufficient awareness about the importance of IECD, lack of priority given to IECD in relevant organizations, economical views rather than developmental perspectives, and lack of commitment among top managers are the reasons why this policy enjoys a low degree of support. Conclusions There are weaknesses in effective interactions and relationships among IECD policy stakeholders. This will lead to the lack of equal opportunities for optimal early childhood development. To improve this process, advocacy from high-level authorities of the organizations, negotiation with child-friendly groups, establishing a body to coordinate and oversee children’s affairs, using the capacity of non-governmental organizations, strengthening inter-sectoral collaboration by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and the relationships between them, and increasing public awareness can be helpful.

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