In 2011 there were an estimated 3.9 million orphaned children in South Africa, many of them orphaned by HIV/AIDS. These children are at high risk for developing psychosocial and mental health problems. The National Strategy for the care of orphans and other vulnerable children (OVCs) recognizes the importance of psychosocial support but there are few specific guidelines on best practice and little research on the effectiveness of psychosocial support programs. There is even less research capturing the perspectives of front-line staff and caregivers. This master’s thesis project conducted a case study of an NGO that provides foster care for OVCs in the Western Cape of South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 14 foster mothers, four social workers and one administrator of the HomeFromHome organization. Interviews explored the experiences, opinions and concerns of participants regarding psychosocial support and the respondents’ views on the (1) main challenges they face in providing psychosocial support (2) what they see as the most effective forms of support and (3) their recommendations for policy changes. Responses highlighted the psychosocial challenges faced by OVCs, those caring for children, and program staff. The research findings support the existing literature, which promotes psychosocial support as essential for orphaned, and vulnerable children. This case study found that HomeFromHome social workers, foster mothers and administration want increased levels of psychosocial support for both children and caregivers. Respondents identified foster mothers and a primary loving caregiver as the most significant form and source of psychosocial support for the children. An analysis of the participant responses identified several areas that warrant further investigation for future policy and program development. These include: the different forms of alternative childcare, the role of the community and the church, the gap between policy and implementation, gendered issues, the aging out process, and issues concerning biological families.

The sharing of personal information among health and social service organisations is a complex issue and problematic process in present-day England. Organisations which provide services to children face enormous challenges on many fronts. Internal ways of working, evolving best practice, data protection applications, government mandates and new government agencies, rapid changes in technology, and increasing costs are but a few of the challenges with which organisations must contend in order to provide services to children while keeping in step with change. This thesis is an exploration into the process of sharing personal information in the context of public sector reforms. Because there is an increasing emphasis of multi-agency collaboration, this thesis examines the information sharing processes both within and among organisations, particularly those providing services to children. From the broad principles which comprise a socio-technical approach of information sharing, distinct critical factors for successful information sharing and best practices are identified. These critical success factors are then used to evaluate the emerging national database, ContactPoint, highlighting particular areas of concern. In addition, data protection and related issues in the information sharing process are addressed. It is argued that one of the main factors which would support effective information sharing is to add a timeline to the life of a dataset containing personal information, after which the shared information would dissolve. Therefore, this thesis introduces Dynamic Multi-Agency Collaboration (DMAC), a theoretical model of effective information sharing using a limited-life dataset. The limited life of the DMAC dataset gives more control to information providers, encouraging effective information sharing within the parameters of the Data Protection Act 1998.

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This thesis focuses on children who have lost both parents and are currently living on their own as child headed households (CHHs) in a rural community in Zimbabwe. Children heading households and taking care of siblings is a very “un-childlike” behaviour yet these are growing phenomena. Through an exploration of how CHHs are constituted and evolve the thesis aims to examine whether local constructions of childhood are being (re) conceptualised as a result of Zimbabwe’s escalating HIV/AIDS crisis. In particular it examines whether the socialisation of children within ‘child only’ units is leading to social transformation and/or whether children are in some way attempting to mimic ‘normal’ family/gender relations. It also looks at CHH’s interactions with adults and explores how these affect survival strategies, socialisation and conceptualisations of childhood. This thesis draws on an intensive ethnographic research project with five CHHs and their siblings in a rural community in Zimbabwe. Participant observation, narratives, drama, essays, focus groups, conversations and participatory techniques were employed to gain an in-depth insight into household evolution, the socialisation of family members, gender roles and survival strategies. The thesis shows that while children living in CHHs are vulnerable, they exhibited considerable competence and capabilities to sustain themselves. However, state and non-governmental organisations’ definition of childhood and orphanhood on the other hand, and cultural and local understanding of childhood and orphanhood produce new conceptual struggles of childhood that impacts negatively on the CHHs’ integration into society and their capacity to function fully. The ambivalent position of orphaned children in CHHs needs to be addressed if CHHs are to be recognised as an alternative orphan care arrangement.

Cette étude cherche à saisir les articulations entre les politiques de santé publique et les processus de changement politique au Cameroun, à partir d’une analyse centrée sur l’action publique de lutte contre le VIH/sida.La manière dont un problème parvient à l’Etat est révélatrice des rapports que cet Etat entretient avec sa société. Dans le cadre de la lutte contre le VIH/sida au Cameroun, l’émergence et la multiplication de nouveaux acteurs n’ont pas réussi à rendre plus participatifs les choix des priorités gouvernementales. C’est ce que révèlent les politiques de prise en charge et de soutien aux enfants de moins de 15 ans rendus vulnérables du fait du VIH/sida. Les conditions et les modalités par lesquels l’ordre politique établi s’est saisi de cette question montrent la portée limitée des dynamiques locales qui animent la lutte contre le VIH/sida sur les reconfigurations autoritaires du pouvoir politique. Bien qu’elle ne fasse pas l’objet de « controverse » ou de « scandale », la mise à l’agenda de la question de la prise en charge des enfants confrontés au VIH et au sida constitue un terrain propice pour comprendre les mutations politiques de la société camerounaise à l’heure de la globalisation des normes et des pratiques de santé. / This research seeks to analyze the links between shaping public health policies and the influence of political dynamics in Cameroon, with a particular focus on how these dynamics affect the country’s public health agenda of HIV/AIDS prevention. The ways in which a State takes action to address a national issue can be revealing of the type of relationship between that State and its population. In Cameroon, despite the emergence of new strategies and the increasing role of key actors engaged in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the government has failed to make the policy-making process of public health an inclusive process This is well illustrated by the national policies to address the health needs of vulnerable children and youth under the age of 15. The terms and conditions under which these policies were elected illustrate how the residues of a once authoritarian political system still impact decision-making processes at both local and national levels. Although they are not subject to "controversy" or "scandal", the issues of support to children facing AIDS is a fertile ground to understand political changes in the Cameroonian society at the time of globalization of standards and health practices.

Bakgrund: Vetskapen om att barn utsätts för övergrepp, kränkningar eller försummelse berör oss människor starkt. Utsatthet är när en vuxen person utsätter ett barn för fysiskt eller psykiskt våld, sexuella övergrepp, kränkningar eller försummar att tillgodose barnets grundläggande behov. Distriktssköterskans roll i barnhälsovården är att minska skadlig påfrestning för barnföräldrar samt att minska hälsoproblem för barnfamiljen och ge stöd och vård till barn och föräldrar. Syftet med studien var att undersöka distriktssköterskans erfarenhet av att arbeta med utsatta barn och deras familjer, samt hur distriktssköterskan stödjer och bemöter familjen. Metod: Åtta distriktssköterskor intervjuades och kvalitativ innehållsanalys med induktiv ansats användes för att analysera data. Resultat: Studien resulterade i tre huvudkategorier samt nio underkategorier. Huvudkategorierna är: Utsatthet utifrån ett distriktssköterskeperspektiv. Distriktssköterskan värnar om familjen. Distriktssköterskans engagemang.  Slutsats: Distriktssköterskors intervention i arbetet med utsatta barn och deras familjer, kan underlättas genom att tydliggöra deras yrkesansvar för relationen till familjerna. Då skapas förutsättning för att familjerna kommer med barnen till BHV, vilket möjliggör att distriktssköterskan kan värna och stödja barnet och familjen. / Background: The knowledge that children are exposed to child abuse or neglect affects humans strongly. Child maltreatment is when an adult exposes a child to physical or mental violence, sexual assault, abuse or neglect, and failure to meet the child´s basic needs. District nurse's role in child health care is to reduce harmful stress on the families with children, and to reduce health problems for families and provide support and care to children and parents. The Aim of this study was to explore district nurses experiences in working with vulnerable children and their families, and how the district nurse support and treat the family. Method: Eight district nurses were interviewed and a qualitative content analysis with inductive approach was used to analyze data. Results: This study results in three main categories and nine sub-categories. The main categories are: Vulnerability from a district nurse perspective. The district nurses protect the family. District nurse's engagement: Conclusion: District nurse's interventions in daily work with vulnerable children and their families, has to be facilitated by clarifying their professional liability of the relationships with families. That will provide the families to come with their children to the child health care, and enable the district nurses to protect and support them.

Many children are left vulnerable due to circumstances beyond their control, for example, poverty, violence, limited education and the HIV&AIDS epidemic. One way of supporting vulnerable children is by making memory boxes. This study endeavoured to identify the assets during the memory-box-making process with vulnerable children. The aim of the study was to contribute towards an understanding of vulnerable children in South Africa and the memory-box-making process that frames vulnerable children in terms of assets, resources and capacities, instead of deficits. A combination of an interpretive and constructivist paradigm was used within an action research design. The site of the study was a deep rural community in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Five participants and one helper contributed towards the research process. Primary data was collected within the memory-box-making process – by means of simple and participatory observation, individual and group interviews, audio-visual methods and field notes. Fifteen memory-box-making sessions took place over a period of six weeks. The data analysis consisted of a theme analysis that utilized the asset-based approach as a theoretical framework. The results from the study indicate a wealth of internal and external assets during the memory-box-making process with vulnerable children. / Dissertation (MEd (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

The phenomenon of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Zambia is a consequence of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Many of these children are orphaned at a critical developmental stage of their lives when parental care and nurture is most needed. In the African world view, children’s opinions in matters concerning them including care are rarely sort or heard. The main aim of this research was to gain a holistic understanding of the silent voices of children affected and/or infected by the HIV and AIDS, and specifically about their experiences of care and/or lack of it. The other aims were: 1) to research alternative means of getting the silent stories of the marginalized children heard by the Zambian society; and 2) to disseminate the research findings to policy makers. Ten children orphaned by AIDS and vulnerable children, who are the core-searchers, drawn from three Lusaka urban based NGOs participated in the study. The research process and experience was reflected upon by the researcher, co-researchers and the care givers. The research was carried out from a Practical Theology perspective and the narrative approach within the postmodern social-constructionist paradigm. The ABDCE model for fiction writing as a metaphor for doing narrative research was used. This approach enabled the researcher to carry out the research in a systematic manner. It also allowed the researcher and the co-researchers to begin and work together throughout the research process, as the researcher listened to the co-researchers’ stories and experiences of care and/or lack of it and was drawn into them. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Objective: To describe the design of the Feel4Diabetes-intervention and the baseline characteristics of the study sample. Design: School- and community-based intervention with cluster-randomized design, aiming to promote healthy lifestyle and tackle obesity and obesity-related metabolic risk factors for the prevention of type 2 diabetes among families from vulnerable population groups. The intervention was implemented in 2016–2018 and included: (i) the ‘all-families’ component, provided to all children and their families via a school- and community-based intervention; and (ii) an additional component, the ‘high-risk families’ component, provided to high-risk families for diabetes as identified with a discrete manner by the FINDRISC questionnaire, which comprised seven counselling sessions (2016–2017) and a text-messaging intervention (2017–2018) delivered by trained health professionals in out-of-school settings. Although the intervention was adjusted to local needs and contextual circumstances, standardized protocols and procedures were used across all countries for the process, impact, outcome and cost-effectiveness evaluation of the intervention. Setting: Primary schools and municipalities in six European countries. Subjects: Families (primary-school children, their parents and grandparents) were recruited from the overall population in low/middle-income countries (Bulgaria, Hungary), from low socio-economic areas in high-income countries (Belgium, Finland) and from countries under austerity measures (Greece, Spain). Results: The Feel4Diabetes-intervention reached 30 309 families from 236 primary schools. In total, 20 442 families were screened and 12 193 ‘all families’ and 2230 ‘high-risk families’ were measured at baseline. Conclusions: The Feel4Diabetes-intervention is expected to provide evidencebased results and key learnings that could guide the design and scaling-up of affordable and potentially cost-effective population-based interventions for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

El Proyecto se ubica en el distrito de Pachacamac teniendo funciones educacionales y vivienda. El objetivo del proyecto es forma un ambiente que ayude al crecimiento del usuario, los niños en abandono. Dándole la oportunidad de socializar con otros niños y con ayuda de su padre sustituto entender que es una familia. El proyecto también busca apoyar la activación de la zona relacionándose con el entorno que lo rodea. / The Project is in the district of Pachacamac having educational functions and housing. The goal of the project is to form an environment that helps the growth of the user, the abandoned children. Giving her the opportunity to socialize with other children and with the help of her surrogate parent understand that it is a family. The project also seeks to support the activation of the area by relating to the surrounding environment. / Tesis