Malnutrition is the outcome of many complex and interrelated factors such as lack of food security, lack of health services, sanitation, knowledge, education and care. It is considered to be a major problem worldwide as well as in South Africa, and the pre-school child is especially vulnerable to developing nutritional deficiencies and diseases. The aim of the study was to investigate the capacity of caregivers to provide nutrition-related care to pre-school-age children (3 to 5 years) in a resource-poor peri-urban community (Olievenhoutbosch) situated in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The study followed a cross-sectional research design, using a quantitative research approach with qualitative aspects to attempt to answer the research question. The questionnaire used for data collection covered aspects such as the resources for care that caregivers had, their nutrition knowledge and caring activities used as part of caring capacity. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of caregivers (50 mothers and two crèche caregivers) of pre-school-age children as key informants for this study. The study revealed that the caregivers’ caring capacities in this community highly depended on the availability and use of certain resources such as human resources (education, time and social support in terms of the availability of alternative caregivers), economic resources (having a job or any source of income) and organizational resources (e.g. child care facilities such as crèches). The mothers had limited resources such as human, economic and organizational resources that would help in childcare practices. Time was a serious constraint that could compromise the level of care provided by the two crèche caregivers. The caregivers had basic nutrition knowledge, but did not have detailed nutrition knowledge. They could mention healthy food types for the child’s optimal growth and development, but could not defend their choices by giving nutritionally sound reasons. Some misconceptions regarding the consumption of certain foods were prevalent. Caring activities in this study involved more than just the provision of food (i.e. food choices, food preparation and feeding practices), but involved other important aspects such as allowing the child time to sleep and play (and sometimes play with the child), ensuring the child’s hygiene (i.e. bathing the child, dressing the child, washing the child’s clothes, cleaning the place where the child stays, plays, eats and sleeps) and performing educational activities with the child. There is a serious need for proper nutrition education which will impart knowledge of appropriate food choices; components of a nutritious diet (healthy types of foods, drinks and snacks); functions of foods in the child’s body; hygienic food handling, preparation, and storage methods that would be translated into good care practices and contribute to the child’s optimal growth and development. / Dissertation (MConsSci)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Consumer Science / unrestricted

The object of this master research – social and psychopedagogical peculiarities of pre-school age children’s unsuccessful upbringing. The basis of research is Vilnius kindergarten “Pasakaitė”. The scientific problem is based on conditions and motion of pre-school age children’s unsuccessful upbringing. There were applied these methods of research: analytical generalization of social, psychological and pedagogical literature on the chosen theme; individual, selected conversations with parents and educators; inter-psychological method; pedagogical consultation – the method “Reevihiation Counsaling” by Harvey Jekins; observation of children’s behavior; mathematical and graphic edition of collected material. Analysing the object of research there was made analytic review of Lithuanian and foreign scientific literature, close to the subject of this master work. There were exposed concrete conditions of children’s upbringing in family and disclosed such capacities and specific features of upbringing as: parents from reserched families don’t have a discussion solving the problems of children’s upbringing; they often don’t come to the common conclusions on children’s behavior, don’t reconcile and don’t change consecutive actions of their children; reproach them for their characteristic features; seeking the right behavior of children, punish them too often and don’t chose the methods, applying which it could be possible to change their behavior; there is such an attitude in these... [to full text]

Darbe atlikta teorinė sveikatos sampratos analizė; išnagrinėti priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikų sveikatos ugdymo ypatumai.Iškelta hipotezė, kad priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikai turi įgiję žinių apie sveikatą ir tai sudaro pagrindą jų sveikatai ugdyti, palaikyti ir puoselėti.Tarpusavyje derinant ir integruojant kokybinius (interviu) ir kiekybinius (anketinė apklausa) tyrimo metodus buvo atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas – atskleisti priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikų žinias apie sveikatą ir jų sveikatos ugdymo galimybes. Tyrime dalyvavo 50 ikimokyklinėse ugdymo įstaigose dirbantys specialistai, 100 tėvų, auginančių priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikus ir 10 priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikų. Empirinėje dalyje nagrinėjamas sveikatos ugdymas ikimokyklinėje ugdymo įstaigoje ir šeimoje, ugdytojų požiūris į vaikų sveikatą, priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikų žinios apie sveikatą. / The work carried out theoretical analysis of the concept of health; it was examined preschool children's health education features. Hypothesis: preschool children have formed knowledge about health and this forms the basis of their health education, support and nurturing. Combining and integrating qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (survey) methods were investigated, with the aim - to reveal the pre-school age children about health and health education opportunities. The study involved 50 pre-school institutions working professionals, 100 parents of preschool children and 10 preschool children. In the empirical part of health education pre-school educational institution and the family, the attitude towards the health of children, preschool children knowledge about health.

The subject of this thesis is introduction of interpersonal relationships theme to pre-school age children. The aims of this work are: a) To introduce books with interpersonal relationships themes intended for pre-school age children. b) To ascertain if and in what way is this theme used in pre-school setting and where the pre-school educators take inspiration from when choosing quality literature for children. c) To propose, realise and reflect on activities (connected to chosen books with interpersonal relationships themes introduced through a child hero) which develop the key competencies of pre-school children related to reading. The practical part was built on data collection through online questionnaire for teachers; the aim was to ascertain whether interpersonal relationships topics are used in practice when working with books in pre-school setting and where the educators find inspiration when searching for this type of literature intended for pre-school children. The second part contains suggestions and realization of activities connected to chosen books with the interpersonal relationships theme introduced through a child hero, which develop the key competencies of pre-school children related to reading according to Curriculum Framework for Pre-School Education and the reflection on these...