scholarly journals Risks to Early Childhood Health and Development in the Postconflict Transition of Northern Uganda

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa A. McElroy ◽  
Stella Atim ◽  
Charles P. Larson ◽  
Robert W. Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Transitional Period ◽  
Northern Uganda ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Vulnerable Children ◽  
Early Childhood Health ◽  
Health And Development

Research from numerous fields of science has documented the critical importance of nurturing environments in shaping young children's future health and development. We studied the environments of early childhood (birth to 3 years) during postconflict, postdisplacement transition in northern Uganda. The aim was to better understand perceived needs and risks in order to recommend targeted policy and interventions.Methods. Applied ethnography (interview, focus group discussion, case study, observational methods, document review) in 3 sites over 1 year.Results. Transition was a prolonged and deeply challenging phase for families. Young children were exposed to a myriad of risk factors. Participants recognized risks as potential barriers to positive long-term life outcomes for children and society but circumstances generally rendered them unable to make substantive changes.Conclusions. Support structures were inadequate to protect the health and development of children during the transitional period placing infants and young children at risk. Specific policy and practice guidelines are required that focus on protecting hard-to-reach, vulnerable, children during what can be prolonged and extremely difficult periods of transition.

Early childhood: The essential foundation

2019 ◽  
pp. 49-72
Author(s):  
Jo Boyden ◽  
Andrew Dawes ◽  
Paul Dornan ◽  
Colin Tredoux
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Human Development ◽  
Nutritional Supplementation ◽  
Under Nutrition ◽  
Development Interventions ◽  
National Importance ◽  
Health And Development ◽  
Healthy Growth ◽  
Clear Channel

This chapter discusses the absolute importance of a good start in early childhood as the foundation for later human development. It focuses on two core development concerns: under-nutrition, and preschool circumstances and interventions. The Young Lives countries show progress in stunting reduction, notably in Peru where reducing under-nutrition has been given national importance. The ongoing prevalence of stunting nevertheless is a clear channel through which poverty in childhood results in disadvantaged development. Interventions to improve early childhood circumstances have been shown to work for the poorest children. Indeed, nutritional supplementation has been found to support healthy growth, especially for young children and poorer children. Interventions to support infants also have the potential to support mothers and primary caregivers. As these findings suggest, to ensure their survival, health, and development, young children need a multi-sectoral response.

Designing and Implementing an Early Childhood Health and Development Program in Rural, Southwest Guatemala

2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 381-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gretchen J. Domek ◽  
Maureen Cunningham ◽  
Andrea Jimenez-Zambrano ◽  
Dena Dunn ◽  
Madiha Abdel-Maksoud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Childhood Health ◽  
Early Childhood Health ◽  
Health And Development

0056 The raising of america project: using tool, resources, and partnerships to promote early childhood health and development across the life-course

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A3.1-A3
Author(s):  
Marilyn Metzler ◽  
Malia Richmond-Crum ◽  
Kate Taft ◽  
Kate Hess Pace ◽  
Calondra Tibbs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Childhood Health ◽  
Early Childhood Health ◽  
Health And Development ◽  
The Life Course

scholarly journals Bottlenecks and barriers to effective coverage of early childhood health and development interventions in Guatemala: A scoping review

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Kayla Marra ◽  
Isabel Espinosa
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Networks ◽  
Childhood Health ◽  
Effective Coverage ◽  
Early Childhood Health ◽  
Health And Development

Objectives. To identify bottlenecks and barriers to effective coverage by Early Childhood Health and Development (ECHD) interventions in Guatemala. Methods. A scoping review of more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, grey literature, and other academic publications was conducted. Articles published from 2005-2019 were considered. Results were analyzed using the Tanahashi model of effective coverage that categorizes coverage by five domains: availability, accessibility, acceptability, contact, and effective coverage. Results. A total of 103 articles were identified, addressing 337 bottlenecks and barriers to effective coverage by ECHD interventions in Guatemala. Most occurred along the acceptability dimension (35.9%). The findings revealed four opportunity spaces: (i) strong political interest and commitment (opportunity for leadership); (ii) vibrant community health networks (opportunity for leverage); (iii) availability of promising evidence-based projects and interventions (opportunity for scale-up); and (iv) strong agency presence (opportunity for collaboration). Conclusions. Most bottlenecks and barriers to ECHD interventions in Guatemala occur around acceptability, followed by accessibility and availability. There is considerable potential for national leadership, leverage, scale-up, and collaboration of ongoing efforts in the country. These results may be used to inform future research and policymaking. The Tanahashi approach is an effective lens of analysis that can be applied to other countries, geographic areas, and contexts in future studies.

scholarly journals Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges of the Digital World for Early Childhood Services with Vulnerable Children

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 2407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leona Harris ◽  
Niki Davis ◽  
Una Cunningham ◽  
Lia de Vocht ◽  
Sonja Macfarlane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Vulnerable Children ◽  
Digital Devices ◽  
Screen Media ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Learning Stories ◽  
Agents Of Change ◽  
National Research Programme

Potentially addictive behaviours supported by the internet and mobile phones raise concerns in education services for early childhood. Although there is evidence that screen media can distract the attention of young children, there was a massive uptake of digital devices by early childhood centres (ECCs). We investigated practices of families (n = 85) and of six ECCs serving vulnerable children in New Zealand, many of whom are emergent bilinguals. Descriptions of the limited and exemplary choice of screen media of the ECCs include digital portfolios containing children’s learning stories in multiple languages illustrated with digital photos. This was facilitated by increasing partnership with the families and the inclusion of their languages in the physical and digital landscapes of the ECCs. However, these families and the ECCs are seeking additional guidance to face the complex challenges of the digital world. These early findings from our national research programme, A Better Start, E Tipu E Rea, already informed significant changes in the ECCs; we also identified the potential for young children to act as agents of change.

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