Early childhood development: the role of community based childcare centres in Malawi
Early childhood development: the role of community based childcare centres in Malawi
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DOI：
10.1186/2193-1801-3-305
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发表时间：
2014-06-24
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Silo, Lois
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Munthali, Alister C.;Mvula, Peter M.;Silo, Lois
背景：人体的变化，包括人类大脑的生长和发育，发生在生命的早期。因此，促进儿童早期发展（ECD）的计划应成为国家议程的一部分。认识到这一事实，马拉维政府与发展伙伴一起促进建立由社区成员拥有和管理的社区儿童保育中心（CBCC）。本研究旨在了解 CBCC 的运作方式及其核心功能。方法：利用马拉维所有 28 个区的地区社会福利官员保存的数据库中的信息，加上滚雪球式的方法，对所有正在运作的 CBCC 进行了统计。向 CBCC 负责人或护理人员发放了一份调查问卷。训练有素的研究助理还对中心周围的结构和实际发生的活动进行了观察。使用社会科学统计包对数据进行分析。结果：社区为 CBCC 中的儿童提供结构、护理人员支持、食物、用具、劳动和游戏材料。第一个 ECD 中心成立于 1966 年，但建立这些中心的真正激增发生在 1990 年代末，到 2007 年，马拉维已有 5,665 个 CBCC，照顾 407,468 名 3 至 5 岁的儿童。 CBCC 的成立是为了提供学前教育，并在某些情况下为孤儿和其他弱势群体提供特殊照顾。结论：尽管大多数 CBCC 场所和结构都未达到 CBCC 简介规定的标准，但所提供的活动和服务大多符合规定。为儿童提供营养食品并进行游戏，以刺激他们的认知和智力发展。尽管一些社区成员没有认识到CBCC的价值，但这些机构的存在为社区提供了一个共同照顾孩子的机会，由于艾滋病毒和艾滋病的流行导致孤儿数量激增，这项任务变得势在必行。该研究建议马拉维应优先投资幼儿发展项目。
Background: Somatic changes including growth and development of the brain of a human being occur very early in life. Programmes that enhance early childhood development (ECD) therefore should be part of the national agenda. Cognizant of this fact, the Malawi Government together with development partners facilitated the establishment of community-based child care centres (CBCCs) which are owned and managed by community members. This study was aimed at understanding how CBCCs operated and their core functions.Methods: Using information from databases kept by the District Social Welfare Officers from all the 28 districts in Malawi, coupled with snowballing, all functioning CBCCs were enumerated. A questionnaire was administered to the head of the CBCC or a care giver. Highly trained Research Assistants also carried our observations of the structures around the centres and the activities that actually happened. Data was analysed using a Statistical Package for Social Sciences.Results: Communities provide structures, support for care givers, food, utensils, labour and play materials for the children in CBCCs. The first ECD centre was established in 1966 but the real surge in establishing these happened towards the end of the 1990s and by 2007 there were 5,665 CBCCs in Malawi caring for 407,468 children aged between 3 and 5 years. CBCCs were established to provide pre-primary school learning, and in some cases provide special care to orphans and other vulnerable.Conclusions: Despite the fact that most CBCC premises and structures fell short of the standards laid down by the CBCC profile, the activities and services provided were mostly to the book. Children were provided with nutritious foods and subjected to play that stimulated their cognitive and mental development. Despite the fact that some members of the community do not realize the value of the CBCCs, the existence of these institutions is an opportunity for the community to take care of their children communally, a task that has become imperative as a result of the upsurge in the number of orphans as a result of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. The study recommends that Malawi should take investments in ECD programmes as a priority.