Focusing on the rights of children who are deprived of their family environment and remain in child-headed households in the context of the HIV epidemic in Africa cannot be more relevant at present as the continent faces a significant increase in the number of children who are left to fend for themselves due to the impact of the epidemic. The impact of the epidemic is so severe that it is likened to an armed conflict. In sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 22.4 million people are living with HIV, and in 2008 alone, 2 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses. Such massive loss of human lives is itself a tragedy. However, the repercussions of the epidemic suffered by children may be less visible, yet are just as far-reaching, and in all likelihood longer lasting in their effects. Initially, it appeared that children were only marginally affected by the epidemic. Unfortunately, it is now clear that children are at the heart of the epidemic. In sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 14 million children lost their parents to AIDS-related illnesses and an unimaginable number of children consequently find themselves in deepened poverty. Traditionally, children who are deprived of their family environment in Africa have been cared for by extended families. However, the HIV epidemic has dramatically affected the demography of many African societies. As the epidemic continues to deplete resources of the affected families and communities, extended families and communities find it more and more difficult to provide adequate care to the increasing number of children who are deprived of parental care. As a result, more and more children are taking care of themselves in child-headed households. The foremost responsibility of states with regards to children who are deprived of parental care is to support families and communities so that they are able to provide adequate care to children in need of care, thereby preventing children from being deprived of their family environment. While strengthening families and communities, as required by articles 20 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child and 25 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, as well as other international guidelines such as the 2009 UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, states also have the responsibility to provide ‘special protection and assistance’ to children who are already deprived of their family environment and are living in child-headed households. The important question is how to interpret the right to alternative care, and special protection and assistance, with respect to children in child-headed households. The study examines the international standards and norms regarding children who are deprived of their family environment including children in child-headed households and explores the ways those children are supported and protected in South Africa, against the background of related developments in a number of different African countries, including Namibia, Southern Sudan and Uganda. In 2002, the South African Law Reform Commission made the important recommendation that child-headed households should be legally recognised. The Children’s Amendment Act (No 41 of 2007), which amended the comprehensive Children’s Act (No 38 of 2005) gave effect to this recommendation by legally recognising child-headed households under prescribed conditions. It is a bold step to strengthen the protection and assistance given to children in child-headed households. However, child-headed households should not be legally recognised unless all the necessary protection and assistance measures are effectively put in place. In order to design and implement the measures of protection and assistance to children in child-headed households, a holistic children’s rights-based approach should be a guiding light. A rights-based approach, which articulates justiciable rights, establishes a link between the entitlement of children as rights-holders and legal obligations of states as duty-bearers. States have the primary responsibility to provide appropriate protection and assistance to children who are deprived of their family environment. This is a legal obligation of states, not a charitable action. A rights-based approach is further important in that it ensures that both the process of mitigation strategies and the outcome of such efforts are firmly based on human rights standards. The study argues that legal recognition should be given to child-headed household only after a careful evaluation based on the international standards with regard to children deprived of their family environment. It further argues that measures of ‘special protection and assistance’ should be devised and implemented using a rights-based approach respecting, among others, children’s rights to non-discrimination, to participation and to have their best interests given a priority. / Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

The aim of this work is to introduce a new concept of children's home which seeks to find a relationship between family environment, specific needs of children or necessary architecture requirements which are important in perceiving the space in which children are.

Contexte: L'obésité chez les jeunes représente aujourd’hui un problème de santé publique à l’échelle mondiale. Afin d’identifier des cibles potentielles pour des stratégies populationnelles de prévention, les liens entre les caractéristiques du voisinage, l’obésité chez les jeunes et les habitudes de vie font de plus en plus l’objet d’études. Cependant, la recherche à ce jour comporte plusieurs incohérences. But: L’objectif général de cette thèse est d’étudier la contribution de différentes caractéristiques du voisinage relativement à l’obésité chez les jeunes et les habitudes de vie qui y sont associées. Les objectifs spécifiques consistent à: 1) Examiner les associations entre la présence de différents commerces d’alimentation dans les voisinages résidentiels et scolaires des enfants et leurs habitudes alimentaires; 2) Examiner comment l’exposition à certaines caractéristiques du voisinage résidentiel détermine l’obésité au niveau familial (chez le jeune, la mère et le père), ainsi que l’obésité individuelle pour chaque membre de la famille; 3) Identifier des combinaisons de facteurs de risque individuels, familiaux et du voisinage résidentiel qui prédisent le mieux l’obésité chez les jeunes, et déterminer si ces profils de facteurs de risque prédisent aussi un changement dans l’obésité après un suivi de deux ans. Méthodes: Les données proviennent de l’étude QUALITY, une cohorte québécoise de 630 jeunes, âgés de 8-10 ans au temps 1, avec une histoire d’obésité parentale. Les voisinages de 512 participants habitant la Région métropolitaine de Montréal ont été caractérisés à l’aide de : 1) données spatiales provenant du recensement et de bases de données administratives, calculées pour des zones tampons à partir du réseau routier et centrées sur le lieu de la résidence et de l’école; et 2) des observations menées par des évaluateurs dans le voisinage résidentiel. Les mesures du voisinage étudiées se rapportent aux caractéristiques de l’environnement bâti, social et alimentaire. L’obésité a été estimée aux temps 1 et 2 à l’aide de l’indice de masse corporelle (IMC) calculé à partir du poids et de la taille mesurés. Les habitudes alimentaires ont été mesurées au temps 1 à l'aide de trois rappels alimentaires. Les analyses effectuées comprennent, entres autres, des équations d'estimation généralisées, des régressions multiniveaux et des analyses prédictives basées sur des arbres de décision. Résultats: Les résultats démontrent la présence d’associations avec l’obésité chez les jeunes et les habitudes alimentaires pour certaines caractéristiques du voisinage. En particulier, la présence de dépanneurs et de restaurants-minutes dans le voisinage résidentiel et scolaire est associée avec de moins bonnes habitudes alimentaires. La présence accrue de trafic routier, ainsi qu’un faible niveau de prestige et d’urbanisation dans le voisinage résidentiel sont associés à l’obésité familiale. Enfin, les résultats montrent qu’habiter un voisinage obésogène, caractérisé par une défavorisation socioéconomique, la présence de moins de parcs et de plus de dépanneurs, prédit l'obésité chez les jeunes lorsque combiné à la présence de facteurs de risque individuels et familiaux. Conclusion: Cette thèse contribue aux écrits sur les voisinages et l’obésité chez les jeunes en considérant à la fois l'influence potentielle du voisinage résidentiel et scolaire ainsi que l’influence de l’environnement familial, en utilisant des méthodes objectives pour caractériser le voisinage et en utilisant des méthodes statistiques novatrices. Les résultats appuient en outre la notion que les efforts de prévention de l'obésité doivent cibler les multiples facteurs de risque de l'obésité chez les jeunes dans les environnements bâtis, sociaux et familiaux de ces jeunes. / Background: Childhood obesity currently poses a major public health challenge worldwide. In an attempt to identify potential targets for population-based prevention strategies, neighbourhood environments are increasingly being investigated in relation to childhood obesity and its behavioural precursors. However, research to date is largely beset by inconsistencies in findings. Purpose: The overarching goal of this thesis is to investigate the contribution of different features of neighbourhood environments in relation to obesity and antecedent behaviours in children. Specific objectives are: 1) To examine associations between children’s residential and school neighbourhood food environments and their dietary intake and behaviours; 2) To examine shared exposure to features of residential neighbourhoods in relation to obesity among family triads (child, mother, and father) and among individual family members; 3) To identify specific combinations of individual, familial, and neighbourhood risk factors that best predict obesity in children, and determine whether these risk factor profiles also predict 2-year changes in obesity. Methods: Data were drawn from the QUALITY Cohort, a Quebec-based study of 630 children aged 8-10 years at baseline with a parental history of obesity. Baseline residential neighbourhood environments of 512 participants living in the Montreal Metropolitan Area were characterised using: 1) geographically linked census and administrative data computed for road network buffers centered on the residential and school locations; and 2) in-person neighbourhood observations conducted within the participants’ residential neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood measures included characteristics of the built, social, and food services environments. Obesity was determined using the body mass index (BMI) computed from measured weight and height at baseline and at follow up. Diet was measured using three 24-hour diet recalls at baseline. Different types of analyses were used including generalised estimating equations, multilevel regressions, and recursive partitioning. Results: Findings point to specific neighbourhood features that are associated with childhood obesity and diet. Most notably, increased availability of convenience stores and fast food restaurants within residential and school neighbourhoods is associated with poorer diets among children. High street-level traffic and low neighbourhood prestige and urban development in residential neighbourhoods are associated with obesity among family triads. Lastly, findings suggest that obesogenic neighbourhood environments characterised by socioeconomic disadvantage, fewer parks, and more convenience stores jointly predict childhood obesity within unique combinations of individual and familial risk factors. Conclusion: This thesis contributes to the literature on neighbourhood environments and childhood obesity by considering the influences of both residential and school neighbourhoods as well as familial environments, by objectively characterising neighbourhoods, and by using innovative statistical approaches. Findings furthermore support the notion that obesity prevention efforts should target multiple risk factors of childhood obesity within the built, social, and family environments of children.

La recherche des facteurs de longévité gagne en intérêt dans le contexte actuel du vieillissement de la population. De la littérature portant sur la longévité et la mortalité aux grands âges, un constat émerge : bien que les déterminants associés à la survie humaine soient multiples, l'environnement familial aurait un rôle déterminant sur la mortalité et sur l'atteinte des âges avancés. Dès lors, l'objectif de cette thèse est d'évaluer les déterminants de la survie exceptionnelle et d'examiner le rôle des aspects familiaux, en début de vie et à l'âge adulte, dans les différentiels de durée de vie. Plus spécifiquement, elle vise à : (1) examiner la similarité des âges au décès entre frères, soeurs et conjoints afin d'apprécier l'ampleur de la composante familiale de la longévité; (2) explorer, d'un point de vue intrafamilial, les conséquences à long terme sur la survie des variables non partagées issues de la petite enfance tels l'âge maternel à la reproduction, le rang de naissance et la saison de naissance; et (3) s'interroger sur le rôle protecteur ou délétère de l’environnement et du milieu familial d'origine dans l’enfance sur l'atteinte des grands âges et dans quelle mesure le statut socioéconomique parvient à médiatiser la relation. Cette analyse s'appuie sur le jumelage des recensements canadiens et des actes de décès de l’état civil québécois et emploie des données québécoises du 20e siècle issues de deux échantillons distincts : un échantillon aléatoire représentatif de la population provenant du recensement canadien de 1901 ainsi qu’un échantillon de frères et soeurs de centenaires québécois appartenant à la même cohorte. Les résultats, présentés sous forme d'articles scientifiques, ont montré, en outre, que les frères et soeurs de centenaires vivent plus longtemps que les individus appartenant aux mêmes cohortes de naissance, reflétant la contribution d'une robustesse commune, mais également celle de l'environnement partagé durant la petite enfance. Ces analyses ont également témoigné d'un avantage de survie des conjoints des centenaires, soulignant l'importance d'un même environnement à l'âge adulte (1er article). De plus, nos travaux ont mis de l'avant la contribution aux inégalités de longévité des variables biodémographiques issues de l'environnement non partagé telles que l'âge maternel à la reproduction, le rang de naissance et la saison de naissance, qui agissent et interagissent entre elles pour créer des vulnérabilités et influer sur l'atteinte des âges exceptionnels (2e article). Enfin, une approche longitudinale a permis de souligner la contribution du milieu social d'origine sur la longévité, alors que les individus issus d’un milieu socioéconomique défavorisé pour l'époque (milieu urbain, père ouvrier) vivent moins longtemps que ceux ayant vécu dans un environnement socioéconomique favorable (milieu rural, fermier), résultat d'une potentielle accumulation des avantages liée à la reproduction du statut social ou d'une programmation précoce des trajectoires de santé. L’influence est toutefois moindre pour les femmes et pour les frères de centenaires et s'exprime, dans ce cas, en partie par l'effet de la profession à l'âge adulte (3e article). / A growing body of literature has documented the multiple and complex factors and pathways through which longevity and mortality in old age may be shaped. It appears indeed that surviving to a very old age is modulated by a familial component, whether it arises from environmental or genetic confounds. The scientific debate on longevity and its determinants has put considerable interest in studying the centenarians and the role of shared early life conditions have been addressed extensively in the literature, but those two elements have rarely been mixed together. The main objective of my research thesis is to discuss some of the key factors involved in aging and longevity with a focus on the role of family determinants and shared frailty. More specifically, it aims to (1) highlight the central importance of family on exceptional longevity by examining similarity in age at death among siblings and between spouses; (2) examine whether there is a persisting effect of maternal age and birth order on exceptional survival when both variables are considered and adjusted for season of birth; and (3) investigate whether early life factors, such as the socioeconomic background, shape the course of aging and longevity and whether this association is mediated by the socioeconomic status in adulthood. Our analysis rest upon family-based samples of siblings of centenarians and controls born in Québec at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century which compile information from the Canadian Census and Quebec vital statistics registers. The results, in the form of scientific articles, have shown that siblings of centenarians lived longer compared to members of their birth cohort suggesting the existence of a genetic component to longevity. However, there is also a survival benefit for spouses of centenarians compared to the general population which implies that longevity is also modulated by the shared environment in adulthood (1st article). Furthermore, the within-family analysis has shown that elements of the unshared early life environment, such as maternal age at reproduction, birth order and season of birth, not only have an independent impact on exceptional survival but also interact with one another to create vulnerabilities for later-life mortality (2nd article). Finally, the use of a longitudinal framework engaging both biodemographic and socioeconomic factors emphasize the contribution of early life conditions in longevity inequalities both directly and indirectly through adult profession. The influence of socioeconomic conditions in childhood were stronger for men of the general population compared to brothers of centenarians and early life origin showed almost no effect for women (3rd article).

El TDAH és un trastorn neuroevolutiu de l’atenció i la impulsivitat de naturalesa crònica que afecta un 4% de la població i que freqüentment s’associa amb altres trastorns, com els problemes de conducta i les dificultats en l’aprenentatge. Actualment hi ha base empírica sobre el seu origen genètic i biològic, encara que el seu curs evolutiu i el seu pronòstic estan molt influenciats per factors ambientals. És per això que un abordatge adequat del procés d’avaluació i d’intervenció d’aquest trastorn ha de contemplar de forma primerenca els contextos en què el nen es desenvolupa (escola, família i comunitat) i ha de comptar amb un equip multidisciplinari. En aquesta línia, las modalitats d’intervenció que han evidenciat ser més efectives són les medicacions psicoestimulants, les intervencions psicosocials i els tractaments que combinen ambdues modalitats terapèutiques. L’estimulant més utilitzat per al TDAH, el metilfenidat, és el fàrmac més prescrit en psiquiatria infantil i s’ha constatat la seva efectivitat de forma reiterada. No obstant això, s’ha d’administrar amb cautela perquè presenta limitacions que a vegades no en compensen l’administració, com el efectes no desitjats, el desconeixement sobre els efectes a llarg termini o els escassos estudis sobre eficàcia i seguretat en nens preescolars. Aquests troballes ens fan considerar les intervencions psicosocials, que també són una bona opció terapèutica. Les intervencions psicosocials validades empíricament serveixen d’entrenament a pares i mestres per manejar el trastorn, com també al mateix nen, tot i que en menor mesura, per exercitar les seves habilitats socioemocionals. La finalitat d’aquestes teràpies és que paral•lelament o tres la formació, s’implementen intervencions conductuals, cognitiu-conductuals, escolars i sòcio-emocionals en els contexts naturals del nen. Encara que està provada la eficàcia d’aquestes modalitat d’intervenció de forma aïllada, s’han trobat millores superiors amb els tractaments combinats o multimodals, que cobren un ampli ventall de dificultats i plànols de funcionament, permetent en ocasions reduir la dosi de medicació amb un manteniment dels efectes positius. Però, malauradament, encara s’observa una relativa carència d’estudis que incloguin tractaments combinats per al TDAH infantil, si més no a España. En el millor del casos, les intervencions han estat breus i intensives. Tanmateix, no s’han publicat estudis sobre l’eficàcia d’aquestes intervencions per millorar variables com el clima escolar i familiar d’aquests nens. L’objectiu, doncs, d’aquest projecte és analitzar l’eficàcia relativa i diferencial d’un tractament combinat (medicació estimulant + entrenament a pares i mestres) versus un de farmacològic, durant un curs escolar, per millorar diverses variables relacionades amb el nen hiperactiu, com també amb els seus mestres i pares (símptomes, rendiment acadèmic, clima escolar i familiar, autoeficàcia percebuda i coneixements sobre TDAH). / El TDAH es un trastorno neuro-evolutivo de la atención, la actividad y la impulsividad de naturaleza crónica, que afecta a un 4% de la población, asociándose frecuentemente con otros trastornos, como los problemas de conducta y las dificultades de aprendizaje. En la actualidad, hay evidencia empírica sobre su origen genético y biológico, aunque su curso evolutivo y pronóstico están enormemente influidos por factores ambientales. De ahí que un adecuado abordaje del proceso de evaluación e intervención de este trastorno deba contemplar de forma temprana los contextos donde el niño se desenvuelve (escuela, familia y comunidad), contando con un equipo multidisciplinar. En esta línea, las modalidades de intervención que han mostrado ser más efectivas son las medicaciones estimulantes, las intervenciones psicosociales y los tratamientos que combinan ambas opciones terapéuticas. El estimulante más utilizado para el TDAH, el metilfenidato, es el fármaco más prescrito en psiquiatría infantil y se ha constatado reiteradamente su efectividad. Pero se debe administrar con cautela porque presenta limitaciones que en ocasiones no compensan su administración, como sus efectos indeseados; el desconocimiento sobre sus efectos a largo plazo; y los escasos estudios sobre su eficacia y seguridad en niños preescolares. Estos hallazgos nos instan a considerar las intervenciones psicosociales, que son también una buena opción terapéutica. Las intervenciones psicosociales validadas empíricamente son el entrenamiento a padres y a maestros en el manejo del trastorno, y en menor medida el entrenamiento en habilidades socio-emocionales al propio niño. La finalidad de estas terapias es que paralelamente o tras la formación, se implementen intervenciones conductuales, cognitivo-conductuales, escolares y socio-emocionales en los contextos naturales del niño. Sin embargo, a pesar de la eficacia de estas modalidades de intervención de forma aislada, se han mostrado mejoras superiores con los tratamientos combinados o multimodales, que cubren un amplio abanico de dificultades y planos de funcionamiento, permitiendo en ocasiones reducir la dosis de medicación con un mantenimiento de los efectos positivos. Pero desafortunadamente, aún se observa una relativa carencia de estudios que incluyan tratamientos combinados para el TDAH infantil, al menos en España. Y en el mejor de los casos, las intervenciones han sido muy breves e intensivas. Asimismo, no se han publicado estudios sobre la eficacia de estas intervenciones para mejorar variables como el clima escolar y familiar de estos niños. Precisamente, el objetivo de este proyecto es analizar la eficacia relativa y diferencial de un tratamiento combinado (medicación estimulante+entrenamiento a padres y maestros) versus farmacológico, durante un curso escolar, para mejorar diversas variables relacionadas con el niño hiperactivo, sus maestros y sus padres (síntomas, rendimiento académico, clima escolar y familiar, autoeficacia percibida y conocimientos sobre TDAH). / ADHD is a neuro-developmental disorder of attention, impulsivity and activity of a chronic nature, affecting 4% of the population, frequently associated with other disorders such as behavioral problems and learning disabilities. Today, there is empirical evidence on genetic and biological origin, although its clinical course and prognosis are greatly influenced by environmental factors. Hence, an adequate management of the process of assessment and intervention for this disorder should contemplate early contexts where the child develops (school, family and community), with a multidisciplinary team. In this stratum, the interventions that have proven most effective are stimulant medications, psychosocial interventions and treatments that combine both options. The stimulant used for ADHD, methylphenidate, is the most prescribed drug in child psychiatry and has been found repeatedly to be effective. But it should be administered with caution, because it has limitations, like its side effects, the lack of long-term effects, and the few studies on efficacy and safety in preschool children. These findings urge us to consider psychosocial interventions, which are also a good option. Empirically valid psychosocial interventions are parent training and teachers in the management of the disorder, and less training in socio-emotional skills the child itself. The purpose of these therapies is that, - parallel or after the training -, behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, and socio-emotional interventions would be implemented in the child's natural settings. However, despite the effectiveness of these modalities of intervention in isolation, greater improvement has been shown with combined or multimodal treatments covering a wide range of problems, allowing sometimes to reduce the dose of medication, with a maintenance of positive effects. But unfortunately there is still a relative lack of studies involving combined treatments for childhood ADHD, at least in Spain. And in most cases, interventions have been very brief and intensive. Also, there are no published studies on the effectiveness of these interventions to improve variables such as school and family environment of these children. The precise purpose of this project is to analyze the relative and differential efficacy of combined treatment (stimulant medication + training for parents and teachers) versus drug, during a school year, in order to improve various variables related to the hyperactive child, their teachers and their parents (symptoms, academic performance, school and family evironment, self-efficacy and knowledge about ADHD).

The thesis deals with neurotic disorders problems, which can, due to different causes, affect children in the early-school age. The theoretical part defines the basic concepts and their characteristics (neurotical disorder, history of the concept, early-school age, neurotical symptoms of children, disorders such as: sleep, somatic, food-intake, excretion, adaptation and anxiety, obsessional-compulsive, communication and speaking, sadness and depression, suicidal tendencies and behaviour). Further on it describes a number of internal and external factors, which can participate in the originating of child{\crq}s neurotic disorders. The end of this part is dedicated to the treatment by means of psychotherapy, psychopharmacotherapy, eventualy by means of relaxation. These therapeutical procedures end with preventive aspects and advices how to communicate with neurotic children. The practical part contains four briefly case reports of neurotic children, which lead to the understanding of the problem described on concrete example. Simultaneously it refers to the fact, that in many cases the disorders are a result of dysfunctional family environment.

This thesis focuses on the use of information technologies (ICT) in the development of children from families with low socio-economic background, specifically on the use of the Smart application. The theoretical part of the thesis discusses the specificity of the pre-school age from the perspectives of developmental psychology and social pedagogy. These disciplines are used to define the optimal characteristics and competencies necessary for school readiness. Next, specific aspects of school readiness and factors influencing this readiness are discussed. Relatedly, the specificities of upbringing in socially disadvantaged families and their impacts on child development are explored. In the following chapter, information technologies and their effects on child development are thoroughly discussed. The application Smart is then introduced, which is a specific tool designed to support the development of school readiness. The Smart application is then used in the empirical part of the thesis. Finally, at the end of the theoretical part, the diagnostic instrument Isophi is described. This instrument was used to evaluate the children participating in my research. The empirical part of the thesis describes a multiple case study of the development of children from families with low socio-economic...