Young children with disabilities, marginalised and voiceless: A case of Eswatini

Significantly, many people with disabilities are victims of classification over generalizations with the assumption that disability is equal to inability. This study focused on challenges faced by children with disabilities in accessing Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) services in Manzini Region of Eswatini. Anchored on the Critical Disability Theory which views disability as a cultural, historical, relative, social, and political phenomenon, the study assessed and analysed the disability issues on the accessibility to ECCD services for young children. Through interviews, data was collected from10 ECCD centres in Manzini which were purposively selected. Ten ECCD teachers, 5 principals, and 5 parents/caregivers participated in the study. The results revealed that failure by these children to access ECCD services in the community impacts negatively on their holistic development. Sadly, young children living with a disability in Eswatini face significant challenges, one of the reasons, just like most of our African countries, being that those who have some form of disability were bewitched or inflicted by some bad spirits. ECCD specialist educators highlighted the need for comprehensive training services that will help them cater to children with special needs. The study recommended for extensive awareness programmes to sensitize communities on the rights of the child, regardless of body, mental or sensory condition.

Diet and development among children aged 36–59 months in low-income countries

ObjectiveTo assess the associations between diet, stimulation and development among children 36–59 months of age in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).DesignWe pooled Demographic and Health Survey data on 12 126 children aged 36–59 months from 15 LMICs. Child diet indicators included dietary diversity score (DDS, range 0–7), minimum dietary diversity (MDD, defined as DDS ≥4) and animal source foods (ASFs) consumption. Child development was assessed using the Early Childhood Development Index and stimulation by the number of stimulation activities (range 0–6). Associations were assessed using generalised linear models.ResultsIn our sample, 18% of children met MDD and 50% received ≥4 stimulation activities. The prevalence of suboptimal cognitive, socioemotional, literacy-numeracy and physical development was 24%, 32%, 87% and 11%, respectively. Higher DDS, meeting MDD and consuming ASFs were associated with 8%–13% more stimulation activities. Children who met MDD were slightly less likely to have suboptimal literacy-numeracy development compared with children who did not meet MDD: relative risk 0.97 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.00). DDS, meeting MDD and ASFs consumption were not associated with cognitive, socioemotional or physical development. However, there was evidence of positive associations between MDD and cognitive and literacy-numeracy development among subgroups of children, including those who received ≥4 stimulation activities or attended an early childhood care and education programme.ConclusionsChild diet was associated with more stimulation activities. However, independent of stimulation, socioeconomic status and other factors, child diet appeared to be a prominent determinant only of literacy-numeracy development among children 36–59 months of age.

Early childhood care and education in the cultural context of Aotearoa (New Zealand)

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Early childhood care and education in the cultural context of Aotearoa (New Zealand)

© 2018 Taylor and Francis. Early childhood care and education in Aotearoa (New Zealand) has been celebrated through the international interest in the innovative sociocultural curriculum, Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa (New Zealand Ministry of Education, 1996). This document is now 20 years old, and is at the time of writing being updated by the New Zealand Ministry of Education. 1 In this chapter, a brief overview of the historical and cultural contexts of early childhood care and education leads into a discussion of some key cultural constructs and values that are recognised in Te Whāriki; in particular, those of the Indigenous people, the Māori. Discussion of the narrative assessment models that were developed to support the implementation of Te Whāriki is followed by an outline of implications for teacher education. The chapter ends with some reflections on aspirations for the future of early childhood care and education in Aotearoa.

The Intersection of Reproductive, Work-Life Balance and Early-Education and Care Policies: ‘Solo’ Mothers by Choice in the UK and Spain

This article focuses on women who have opted to be mothers on their own by choice in the UK and Spain, and how their access to assisted reproductive technologies in the National Health Service was affected because they were 35 years old or older, forcing them to go to private clinics for their treatment. Having given birth to their children, the participants face a second obstacle: the lack of policies that support work-life balance. A third obstacle also arises, in the form of a lack of childcare and early-education provision, particularly in the UK. The last two obstacles affect the whole population, but they are intensified in the case of solo-mother-families where the mother is responsible for simultaneously being the caregiver and the sole economic provider. Solo motherhood by choice highlights the impact of the absence of these policies, and the inequalities that result from current contemporary conceptualizations of family, woman and early-childhood-care and education. This article draws on ethnographic research that took place in the UK and Spain where I conducted 60 in-depth interviews and participant observations. The aim is to provide an analysis capable of capturing and confronting how inequalities affect women-mothers-workers and their children.

(Re)pensando a infância na atenção primária em saúde: uma narrativa dos sonhos e tropeços da terapia ocupacional nesse nível assistencial/Rethinking about childhood in primary health care: a narrative of the dreams and struggles of occupational therapy at the basic health services

ResumoIntrodução: Tradicionalmente, as ações de cuidado da infância na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) são orientadas por abordagens higienistas, eugênicas e biomédicas. Essas premissas também têm influenciado as ações de terapia ocupacional junto à infância nesse nível assistencial. O artigo reflete sobre a necessidade e as possibilidades de inserir as ações da terapia ocupacional em propostas que considerem o conceito de infância como norteador, uma vez que o mesmo é complexo, histórico, sociocultural e estrutural na sociedade. Objetivo: Compreender a natureza das ações de terapia ocupacional desenvolvidas pelo Laboratório de Estudos em Reabilitação e Tecnologia Assistiva – REATA – da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, na APS, voltadas à infância. Método: Trata-se de pesquisa qualitativa, de caráter exploratório analítico, que utilizou, como fonte de dados documental, os registros produzidos pelo Laboratório REATA, entre os anos de 2008 e 2020, cujos conteúdos foram analisados à luz do conceito de infância. Resultados e discussão: Implementou-se ações de terapia ocupacional na UBS de formação continuada, matriciamento, atendimentos individuais, em grupo, e intersetoriais, por 12 anos. Dentre as 150 crianças atendidas, apenas 12 foram encaminhadas a outros serviços, explicitando a resolutividade da APS. Muitos desafios foram encontrados na construção das ações voltadas às crianças e suas famílias, além da ressignificação das ações de terapia ocupacional, em direção à superação da ideia do déficit e da correção dos corpos, na direção da observação da infância e do lúdico. Conclusão: Ainda é necessário desconstruir um ideário de reabilitação médico-centrado e hospitalocêntrico vigente na APS.Palavras-chave: Terapia Ocupacional. Atenção Primária à saúde. Saúde da Criança. Bem-estar. AbstractIntroduction: Traditionally, childhood care actions in Primary Health Care (PHC) have been guided by hygienist, eugenic and biomedical approaches. These assumptions have also influenced occupational therapy actions with children at this care level. This article reflects on the need and possibilities of inserting occupational therapy actions in proposals that consider the concept of childhood as a guide, since it is complex, historical, socio-cultural and structural in society. Objective: Understanding the nature of occupational therapy actions developed by Laboratory of Studies in Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology – REATA – School of Medicine, University of São Paulo in PHC aimed at childhood. Method: This is a qualitative research, with an exploratory analytical character, which used as a source of documentary data the records produced by REATA Laboratory between 2008 and 2020, whose contents were analyzed in light of the concept of childhood. Results and discussion: Occupational therapy actions were implemented at the PHC service for continuing education, matrix support, individual, group and intersectorial care for 12 years. Among the 150 children assisted, only 12 were referred to other services, explaining the resolution of the PHC. Many challenges were found in the construction of actions aimed at children and their families, in addition to the redefinition of occupational therapy actions, concerning overcoming the idea of deficit and the correction of bodies, towards the observation of childhood and playfulness. Conclusion: It is still necessary to deconstruct the current medical-centered and hospital-centered rehabilitation ideals in PHC.Keywords: Occupational Therapy. Primary Health Care. Child Health. Childhood Welfare.ResumenIntroducción: Tradicionalmente, las acciones de atención a la infancia en la Atención Primaria de Salud (APS) se guían por enfoques higienistas, eugenésicos y biomédicos. Estos supuestos también han influido en las acciones de terapia ocupacional con niños en este nivel de atención. El artículo reflexiona sobre la necesidad y posibilidades de insertar acciones de terapia ocupacional en propuestas que consideren el concepto de infancia como guía, por ser complejo, histórico, sociocultural y estructural en la sociedad. Objetivo: Comprender la naturaleza de las acciones de terapia ocupacional desarrolladas por el Laboratorio de Estudios en Rehabilitación y Tecnología de asistencia - REATA - Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de São Paulo en APS dirigidas a niños. Metodo: Se trata de una investigación cualitativa, de carácter analítico exploratorio, que utilizó como fuente de datos documentales los registros producidos por el Laboratório REATA entre 2008 y 2020, cuyos contenidos fueron analizados a la luz del concepto de infancia. Resultados y discusión: Se implementaron acciones de terapia ocupacional en la UBS para educación continua, apoyo matricial, atención individual, grupal e intersectorial durante 12 años. De los 150 niños atendidos, solo 12 fueron derivados a otros servicios, explicando la resolución de la APS. Numerosos desafíos se encontraron en la construcción de acciones dirigidas a los niños y sus familias, además de la redefinición de las acciones de terapia ocupacional, hacia la superación de la idea de déficit y la corrección de cuerpos, hacia la observación de la infancia y la alegría. Conclusión: Todavía es necesario deconstruir los ideales actuales de rehabilitación centrada en la medicina y en el hospital en la APS.Palabras clave: Terpia Ocupacional. Atención Primaria de Salud. Salud Infantil. Bienestar infantil.

Accessible Portfolios: Making it Happen in My Centre: an Action Research Study

<p>This thesis explores how I improved my portfolios assessment practices by making children s portfolios freely available to children, their parents and whānau in the early childhood care and education centre where I worked. As the teacher researcher I present an insider perspective, my world view on how I improved my pedagogical practices in order to gain a deeper understanding of children s learning, and my role in supporting children s learning. This study has two components, a) the writer as the teacher researcher and, b) accessibility of children s portfolios and the involvement of children in the portfolio process. This study uses a qualitative research design, a mixed methodology of self-study action research and case study. Three theories, ecological, sociocultural, and Donald Schön s (1983) theory of learning and practice have informed and guided this research. This eclectic mix of theoretical frameworks provided me with some valuable insights on ways of examining and using portfolios with children, and understanding children s views on their portfolios. The findings in this study are particular to the centre where I worked and they may not be generalisable to other early childhood care and education centres. Nonetheless, my experiences highlight the potential importance of the process and issues that arise from making portfolios accessible. The findings revealed that my experiences of engaging in self-study action research promoted within the centre a community of learners, and an enquiry approach to teaching and learning. The findings of this study suggest that making portfolios freely available provides children with an understanding of the purpose, contents and ownership of their portfolios. When children frequently use and share their portfolios with peers and teachers it can promote critical self-reflection and self-assessment of their learning. Involving children in the portfolio process makes visible to children the value of their contributions to their learning. Overall, this study has significantly improved my pedagogical practices. It has enhanced teachers learning which has in turn, benefited the children s learning. Beyond that, making the portfolios accessible has strengthened parental understanding of their children s experiences at the centre.</p>