No description available.

This exploratory study of child and youth care services in Nigeria first examines theoretical concepts associated with the causation of youth problems in developed countries with particular reference to Britain and North America. From an historical and comparative perspective, the application and limitations of Western theories of delinquency causation in developing countries are analysed. An historical analysis of traditional Nigerian culture serves to highlight the problems associated with socio-economic change and the impact of change on traditional child and youth care practices. The impact of urban development on migrant youths is then analysed to establish the theoretical relationship between urbanisation and delinquency. Traditional roles maintained in extended families and traditional patterns of child and youth care practices are analysed to Identify the relationship between family disorganisation and delinquent behaviour among contemporary Nigerian young people. Family structure is identified as a core variable in explaining differences between rural and urban delinquency. Two case studies are presented to illuminate the degree of delinquent behaviour found amongst children and young people from disorganised families and to highlight differences between delinquency found in an urban area and a rural culture. Religious differences are identified as central to sequences in the development and definition of delinquency in the two major cultures in Nigeria. A social policy ideal, based on the notion of an integrated "continuum of care" for children and families, is used to analyse and evaluate child welfare services found in Nigeria at the present time. Prospects for the future development of services are also considered.

Introduction: Maternal and child care is one of the priority health issues that have been identified as requiring urgent attention in South Africa. Despite various efforts, South Africa has not seen improvements in maternal and perinatal outcomes. It is therefore essential that services and practices in hospitals rendering maternity care be reviewed and audited, so that current services can be improved and new services developed if necessary. In Schweizer-Reneke Hospital the clinical outcomes and clinical practices at the maternity unit have never been clearly described. The aim of the study was to describe the clinical outcomes and the associated clinical practices in the maternity unit of the hospital from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009. Methodology: The study setting was the maternity unit of Schweizer-Reneke District Hospital, a level 1 district hospital in a rural district of the North West Province. It comprised of a retrospective review of data from the District Health Information System and of the delivery records, specifically the partogram from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009. The study also examined records of Perinatal Problem Identification Programme and Mortality and Morbidity Review meetings. The study population included all the patients who delivered at the maternity unit during the study period. The measurement tools for data collection were data capture sheets on excel spreadsheets. The source of the data was the maternity register, maternity case records, Perinatal Problem Identification Programme records, District Health Information System and Unit Administration files (for records of meetings). The researcher personally captured the data. Results: Out of 699 deliveries conducted at the hospital 80.1% were normal deliveries, 16.3% caesarean sections and 3.6% vacuum-assisted deliveries. The record review revealed errors in the number of caesarean sections and vacuum-assisted deliveries on the DHIS. The perinatal mortality rate was calculated to be 56 per 1000 live births during the study period. Again the record review identified more perinatal deaths (41) than what was reported on the DHIS. No maternal deaths were recorded during the study period. A total of 295 records were analysed for completeness of the partogram. Out of the 295 partograms analysed none of them had data completed according to standard. The analysis of the completion of the partogram show that there is a significant association between recording of certain aspects of the partogram (risk factors, parity, age, fetal heart, contractions, cervical dilatation, problems and management plan) and mode of delivery whereas with other aspects there is no significant association. The aspects of the partogram that were completed according to standard by the perinatal outcome were poorly recorded, ranging from 0% to 54%. The association between mode of delivery and perinatal outcome was found to be statistically significant (p value 0.000). All of the fresh stillbirths and 90% of macerated stillbirths were born by normal vertex delivery. For the period under study one MMR meeting was conducted. Conclusion: The study found that there were poor clinical practices and outcomes in the maternity unit of Schweizer-Reneke Hospital. There are signs of poor information management as indicated by the discrepancies between data on hospital records and the DHIS. The reasons for this could not be established. Perinatal Problem Identification Problem and Mortality and Morbidity Review meetings were not conducted regularly and therefore could not be used to improve clinical practices and outcomes. Recommendations: Major steps need to be taken to improve clinical governance within the maternity unit of Schweizer-Reneke Hospital. Strategies to recruit and retain Professional Nurses need to be developed. The high percentage of macerated stillbirths needs to be investigated at district level and antenatal care needs to be improved. Studies focusing on the direct effect of inadequate recording on mortality and morbidity and the causes or reasons for inadequate completion of the partogram are necessary.

The AIDS pandemic has affected the lives of millions worldwide and has a particular devastating impact in Sub-Saharan Africa. Much is known about the effects of AIDS on children and on young adults but little attention is given to the plight of grandparents. This study focused on an increasing phenomenon in the black South African family and the increase of families headed by aged individuals who are often reliant on pension payouts for their livelihood. Against this background, this research explored the challenges facing a sample of ten black South African grandmothers between the ages of sixty-four and seventy-eight, living in Katlehong, west of Ekurhuleni in the outskirts of Johannesburg. These participants attended a granny-support group at Khanya Family Centre, a non-governmental organization. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted. The study focused exclusively on the participants’ challenges to cope, and their social support needs as caregivers. The findings of this study showed that elderly women caring for AIDS orphaned grandchildren faced substantial obstacles in meeting their caregiving responsibilities. Some of the challenges faced by these grandmothers as caregivers included lack of psychological support, emotional support and socio-economic support. They also experienced stressful lives, compounded by age-related ailments and conditions. Coping with the challenges of caring for the AIDS orphaned grandchildren as well as their own problems negatively impacted on their psychological, emotional and physiological well-being.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy. Johannesburg, 2014 / The number of children needing care outside of the home environment is increasing. Little is known on quality of residential child carechild care environments in South Africa. To address this knowledge gap, a quantitative descriptive research protocol with a cross-sectional study design was employed to survey residential child care facilities in Johannesburg. The Infant-Toddler Environmental Rating Scale – revised edition was used to describe the social and physical environments provided to children (0-30 months) residing in 18 facilities. Furthermore, caregiver (n=45) and facility demographic information were gathered to determine whether an association existed between three aspects of the environments (caregiver education, training, and child to caregiver ratios) and overall quality scores. Results showed that the environments provided were inadequate and no statistical significant correlations were found between structural aspects and quality scores. The results indicated that the environment restricted children in the fulfilment of meaningful occupation, highlighting the importance of intervention by occupational therapists.

'Would training in how to observe young children improve the child care student's ability to make objective observations? Would training improve their ability to identify the areas of development as exemplified in their observations? Could a practical and usable slide set be developed for the teaching of observational techniques to the high school child care student? How could the improvement in observational techniques of the child care services student be evaluated? These questions were the bases for planning this study. Therefore, it was the purpose of this study to develop and test a teacher-made slide set, depicting children's behavior, to be used in training high school child care services students to objectively observe and record children's behavior, and to classify the children's behavior as to the area of development exemplified"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "March, 1976." / "Submitted to the Department of Home Economics Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science." / Advisor: Mary Lee Hurt, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 44).

o cuidado infantil colocado no centro da análise da causalidaade da desnutrição destaca, neste estudo, a importância do papel desempenhado pela mulher na prevenção da doença. Realizado a partir de dados da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde e Nutrição de 1989, este estudo abrangeu 3.529 crianças de O a 59 meses e analisou características maternas e domiciliares definidoras do cuidado infantil em duas Regiões brasileiras, Região Nordeste e Região Sul, desdobradas nos seus contextos urbanos e rurais. Utilizou-se análise de regressão logística para avaliar os riscos associados aos diversos fatores em estudo. Destaca-se entre os resultados, que a exposição de crianças menores de 5 anos ao analfabetismo ou à baixa escolaridade materna constitui risco expressivo para a desnutrição em todas as regiões estudadas. Outros fatores mostraram-se estatisticamente associados à desnutrição infantil, entre eles encontram-se a ausência de televisão no domicílio e o número de filhos em diferentes faixas etárias. O trabalho materno mostrou ser ora fator de risco, ora fator de proteção entre os diferentes contextos analisados. O estudo sugere a importância de se estender o acesso à educação e o tempo de escolarização da mulher. Concomitantemente, políticas relativas à natureza e remuneração do seu trabalho, expansão dos serviços de creche, acompanhadas de uma divisão de trabalho doméstico mais igualitária, devem abrir o caminho para cidadania da mulher com benefícios diretos para a saúde e nutrição de seus filhos. / The discussion of infant care as a basic determinant of child malnutrition brings to the fore the centrality of women roles to the process. A sample of 3.529 under 5 years old children corresponding to the population of Northeast and South regions were analysed focusing on maternal and household variables. The data came from the Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde e Nutrição carried out in Brazil in 1989 The analisys based on logistic regression models showed that under 5 children of illiterate or low educated mothers are exposed to an expressive risk for malnutrition both in urban and rural settings of the two regions. Some other factors were found to be statistically significant such as the non possession of TV set and the number of children of diferent ages. Maternal employment was a protective factor or a risk factor depending on the region. Besides the importance of extending women\'s education standards, it is suggested that public policies directed towards the improvement of women\'s work nature and salaries, the expansion of nursery services, as well as a more igualitarian division of domestic labor may pave the way for a women\'s dignity with straight benefits for children health and nutrition.

This study examined the effects of different types of child care arrangements (i.e., care by relatives; care by nonrelatives; self-care by child; and care by day care centers) and satisfaction with care on employee absenteeism and job satisfaction. A 53% response rate was obtained from a questionnaire administered to 501 classified staff employees at Portland State University. Only responses from employees with children under the age of 18 living at home were used. Eighty-six employees met this selection criterion. It was hypothesized that parents using self-care by child would have the highest absences, followed by parents using day care centers, followed by parents using care by nonrelatives, followed by parents using care by relatives. Second, it was hypothesized that parents using care by relatives would have the highest job satisfaction levels, followed by parents using care by nonrelatives, followed by parents using day care centers, followed by parents using self-care by child. Third, it was hypothesized that satisfaction with care would affect job satisfaction and absenteeism such that parents who were satisfied with their care arrangements would have higher job satisfaction and lower absenteeism. Fourth, it was hypothesized that there would be a significant difference between men and women on absenteeism such that women would have higher absences than men. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that employees using care by nonrelatives had significantly higher absences (during the last month and year) than those using care by relatives. In addition, employees using care by nonrelatives reported the highest number of absences on both measures of absenteeism. This study revealed that type of child care arrangement was not related to employee job satisfaction. The analyses also revealed that employees' satisfaction with care was related to absenteeism (during the last month), i.e., as parents' satisfaction with care increased, the number of absences reported decreased. Therefore, the first and third hypotheses were partially supported but the second and fourth hypotheses were not supported. The results of this study demonstrates that the types of child care arrangements that parents use are related to employee absenteeism but not job satisfaction.

This study examined the mathematics talk that children engage in during free play in their non-parental, family child care environments. Audio tapes of children during free play were transcribed and coded for different types of mathematical references using a coding scheme. Types of math talk included: (a) classification, (b) magnitude, (c) enumeration, (d) patterns and shapes, (e) spatial reasons, and (f) part/whole. Results showed that children used spatial relations more than other types of mathematical references. Children‘s math talk was compared based on their gender and age. Results showed that, on average, children who were older than 40 months referenced mathematics more often than younger children. Also, males were more likely to reference math during free play than were females. Children‘s math talk was also analyzed in comparison to provider education and experience. It showed that when providers had CDA or 2-year degrees, children under their care referenced math more frequently. (78 pages)

Experiences in the early years of life are increasingly recognised as significant predictors of long-term cognitive and psychosocial behaviour. This thesis focuses on one aspect of early development: the cultural identity of the young child and investigates the influence of continuity of practice between home and the child care centre in this development. The use of child care services for very young children has increased dramatically in the past two decades. For the first time in history there may be more babies aged 0-3 years in care situations than babies who are cared for at home - this impacts upon the child’s micro-culture (individual, unconscious practices guided by beliefs, norms and values) and macro-culture (ritualistic, symbolic behaviour, often conscious which is tied to belonging to an ethnic group). This study investigates the way in which child care centres contribute to the development of micro and macro-cultural identity in very young children. This study was originally designed to increase the knowledge base about the ways in which interactions with children (particularly in relation to sleep and feeding micro-cultural practices) differ between home and child care service and the implications of these differing practices. As the study progressed a new focus was developed and evolved into an analysis of communication processes between parents and staff and the effects of those communication processes. Qualitative methods on non-participant observation, semi-structured interviews and semi-structured questionnaires were used to address the research questions. Recommendations from the study focus on setting level and policy issues. The early childhood sector is called on to redress notions around communication and partnership building with parents / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)