Academic literature on the topic 'Lesotho child care study'

Background: Many children in the world today grow up under very challenging circumstances. In Lesotho, the issue of HIV/AIDS, food-insecurity and poverty has caused the country several problems and statues a threat to the wellbeing of its young inhabitants. In those circumstances, adolescents’ capacity to face these challenges becomes a great part of the nurses’ work in the country. Aim: The aim of this study is to describe nurses’ experiences from strengthening capacity in vulnerable adolescents in a southern African nursing context. Method: Four qualitative, semi-structured interviews was conducted with nurses working at two different health care clinics for youth in Lesotho. The findings were analyzed through qualitative content analysis. Results: In the results, Resilience was identified as a core theme. This core theme was found to be encircled by four main themes: Nursing care, Strengthen capacity, Identify the whole and Challenges. Conclusion: Resilience was a concept used by all interviewed nurses and also the over-all goal of various nursing interventions. By using a holistic approach, the nurses viewed the whole person in his or her cultural and familial context. Thereafter different methods and techniques were used to build capacity in the adolescents and help them to face and overcome difficulties. Clinical relevance: Describing how nurses can help adolescents to build capacity can inspire nurses in all health care settings to implement nursing interventions and hence build resilience.<br><p>Röda Korsets sjuksköterskeförening stipendium 2015</p>

This thesis uses an ethnographic study to interrogate the policy discourse of capturing ‘child voice’ specifically in relation to a ‘looked after’ child. In recent years, attempts have been made to involve children who are ‘looked after’ in discussions and decisions about their care arrangements to ensure that their voice is heard. To ensure this happens, children ‘in care’ are asked about their care placement regularly as part of the care planning review process and their views are incorporated into decisions about their care plan. This study focuses on the lived experiences of a seven-year old female child, who I have referred to as ‘Keeva’, who is ‘in care’ under a Kinship Care arrangement. Over a period of a year, I was based in Keeva’s home one afternoon a week to gain insights about her lived experience as a ‘looked after’ child and how she represented herself. I also observed three care planning review meetings to see how her voice was captured by those charged with her care and how she was represented. I relate Keeva’s experience through seven narrative episodes to capture the rich complexity of the social world she inhabits. I explore aspects of her home and family, her interactions with others and her experience of exploring physical spaces both inside and outside the home. I suggest that these experiences underpin her sense of self and how she relates to others. Drawing on the ideas of Bourdieu, I suggest these experiences and her sense of place in the social order write themselves ‘onto her’ through her habitus and dispositions. Using a Foucauldian lens, I problematise the notion of voice as I contest that the child I observed engaged fully in the statutory processes that surround her. I suggest Keeva, a child who is ‘looked after’, will neither have nor feel she has the agentive properties to influence the care planning process. Instead, as her voice is irrevocably bound up in a bureaucratic process that is uncritically accepted as representative of her, she is obscured as a consequence. I also examine the multivocity in representations of Keeva highlighting the competing discourses of safeguarding, child protection and the ’rights-based’ agenda. I conclude that Keeva was not well represented in care planning reviews and had very little influence in decision-making about her care plan. Despite believing the opposite, those charged with her care failed to hear her or take note of what she said. Furthermore, there was an absence of criticality in representations of Keeva allowing Keeva to be constructed by those professionals involved with her care, in an unchallenged way. As a consequence she was silenced and less visible than the process itself.

<p> This study used a phenomenological research design to investigate how process features of child care quality are experienced in Hmong licensed family child care settings. Interviewing with open-ended questions was relied on as the data collection method. The results included eight major themes: playtime and learning activities are structured to promote individual child&rsquo;s cognitive and physical development; the child care program is founded on licensing standards of health, safety, and well-being; child care provider uses child-centered interactions in their involvement with the children; child care provider uses positive behavioral guidance in shaping children&rsquo;s behaviors; fostering a bi-cultural identity in Hmong children through different approaches; the relationships between the child care providers and children are strengthened by a kinship-based-relationship and a display of affection/love and care; feeding practice is adjusted to meet the needs of each child; and the child care provider seeks support to improve his/her child care practice. The findings from this study revealed that as Hmong, the child care providers appear to perceive themselves as a bridge that connects to the next generation, and it is their moral responsibility to instill a strong foundation in cultural identity, while providing the necessary academic preparations in the Hmong children in order for those children to be a bridge for another Hmong generation. The success of bridging from one generation to another will ensure the preservation of the Hmong culture, as well as the future success of the Hmong. These results can have important implications for early childhood professionals and organizations, as well as for the Hmong community.</p><p>

The goal of this research was to explore and describe child and youth care workers lived experiences of life space therapeutic care in a residential setting. Life space refers to the daily living environment, context and situation of children.

The increasing involvement of mothers in paid employment has brought attention to child care both as a critical social issue and as a pressing need for families. Nevertheless, child care in Canada continues to be framed as a private issue to be resolved by individual families. In the absence of policies and programs that ensure widespread access to affordable, high-quality care, women who combine motherhood with paid employment face considerable challenges in making decisions about child care. This study examines the processes by which women make child care decisions and sheds light on both how and why they make such decisions. The emphasis is on the meanings that women themselves give to motherhood, paid work, and child care and on how they resolve the competing interests that inevitably underlie work and family decisions. By drawing on women's accounts of their own lives, the research elucidates the multiple and interrelated factors that enter into women's decisions and thus offers insights into the reasoning behind complex patterns of decision making. In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 women who were intending to return to work or school following the birth of their first child. Women were interviewed at three points in time, encompassing a period from late pregnancy to several months after returning to work. The study furthers our understanding of the public and private dimensions of child care by revealing the dilemmas faced by women who frame their child care concerns in deeply moral terms, yet are called on to meet their child care needs within a public market oriented child care system. In particular, women's accounts of their experiences demonstrate the ways in which the intertwined and deeply privatised notions of 'dependent child' and 'good mother' underlie women's decisions about child care. Moreover, the research leaves no doubt that women's experiences of making child care decisions do not accord with the prevailing neo-classical economics version of rational and self-interested decision making. By examining women's decisions over time, the study illuminates the sequence of decision making about child care and adds to our understanding of what is entailed in looking for and deciding about child care. The study concludes with a discussion of implications of the findings for policy development and future research.

Thesis (MCur (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: HIV/AIDS is considered as a global problem with the number of people living with HIV infection continuing to increase. At the end of 2007 HIV/AIDS had already claimed 25 million lives. Of all new HIV infections 71% were diagnosed in the Sub-Saharan region in 2008, remaining the worst affected region globally. UNAIDS (2008:43) indicated that heterosexual intercourse remained the main origin for HIV infection in the Sub-Saharan region. Therefore the researcher is of the opinion that prevention strategies should focus mainly on sexual transmission of the disease. HIV/AIDS affects mainly people between the ages 15-24 years, notably the age group of most of the learners in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Lesotho, a country in the Sub- Saharan region, presents with the third highest HIV adult prevalence (23.2%) in the world and in the region. In an attempt to address the prevailing situation, Lesotho has a number of programmes geared towards addressing HIV/AIDS in the country. However, all these attempts exclude the learners in HEIs, yet the majority of learners are found within the most affected age group. It is also to be noted that Higher Education provides the bedrock for socio-economic and political development in Africa. Some studies have identified insufficient knowledge as being at the root of the increasing HIV infections among youth. However, other studies have shown that there is adequate knowledge among the young people, but still a challenge remains and that is to facilitate changes in behavioural patterns as a component to be linked to the knowledge. Studies conducted in other African countries have shown that there are anti-AIDS programmes and clubs for learners in HEIs where learners are involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. No publication indicating the same for Lesotho’s HEIs could be found, except for the National University of Lesotho (NUL) that only launched its HIV/AIDS policy for learners in 2009. The researcher is of the opinion that HEIs in Lesotho are not doing enough to combat HIV/AIDS and hence intends to focus on HEIs in Lesotho. This study had two objectives namely:  To determine the knowledge of learners in a specific HEI in Lesotho regarding HIV/AIDS prevention and care.  To explore the needs of learners in a specific HEI in Lesotho regarding HIV/AIDS prevention and care. This mixed method study was conducted, comprising of both quantitative and qualitative designs. Quantitative phase used a questionnaire for determining the knowledge of learners. The questionnaire was adopted from a study that was performed to determine knowledge of South African educators in public schools with some modifications. The qualitative phase was used to explore the needs of the learners through the focus group discussions with the leaders of the learners. Sample was drawn from the entire population using stratified random sampling for the quantitative phase. The qualitative phase used the purposive sampling to obtain in-depth information concerning learners’ needs. Quantitative data was analysed through the use of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and qualitative data was analysed using the thematic analysis and open-coding. All ethical principles were adhered to especially the principle of respect for persons. The findings from the quantitative phase of the study showed that learners had adequate knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS prevention and care and the findings from the qualitative phase showed the various needs of the learners with regards to prevention and care of HIV/AIDS in a specific HEI in Lesotho. Recommendations have been proposed based on the findings from the two phases of the study. Limitations observed by the researcher have also been identified. In conclusion the objectives of the study were met and the research questions had been answered.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: MIV/Vigs word as ‘n internasionale probleem erken, siende dat daar ‘n verhoging in die toename van MIVgeïnfekteerde indiwidue tans is . Einde 2007 het MIV/Vigs het reeds 25 miljoen lewens ge-eis . In 2008 is 71% van al die nuwe MIV-infeksies in die Sub-Sahara streek gediagnoseer, wat aandui dat die streek die mees geaffekteerde streek tans is. UNAIDS (2008:43) het aangedui dat heteroseksuele omgang die hoofoorsaak van MIV-oordrag in die Sub-Sahara-streek is. Laasgenoemde het daartoe gelei dat die navorser van mening is dat voorkomende strategieë meestal op seksuele oordrag van die siekte moet fokus. MIV/Vigs affekteer meestal mense in die ouderdomsgroep 15-24, opmerklik is dit die ouderdomsgroep waarby meesste leerders in Hoëronderwysinstellings (HOI) is. Lesotho, ‘n land in die Sub-Sahara-streek, het tans die derde-hoogste MIV-voorkoms (23.2%) in die wêreld en in die streek. Lesotho het verskeie programme ontlont om MIV/Vigs te bekamp in ‘n poging om die huidige situasie te beredder . Nieteenstaande sluit al die programme leerders in HOI uit, alhoewel die leerders in die ouderdomsgroep van die mees-geaffekteerde groep val. Dit is ook duidelik dat Hoëronderwys die fondasie vir sosio-ekonomiese- en politieke ontwikkeling in Afrika verskaf. Sommige studies het onvoldoende kennis as die wortel van die verhoging van MIV-infeksies onder die jeug geïdentifiseer. Ander studies, daarenteen, wys dat kennis voldoende is onder jeug, alhoewel veranderinge in gedragspatrone om by die kennis aan te sluit ‘n uitdaging bly. Studies uit ander Afrikalande dui daarop dat daar anti-Vigs programme en klubs is waarby HO leerders betrokke is om teen die verspreiding van MIV/Vigs te veg. Geen publikasies in hierdie verband word in Lesotho aangetref nie, behalwe ‘n MIV/Vigs-beleid wat in 2009 deur “National University of Lesotho’ (NUL) gepubliseer is. Dus is die navorser van mening dat HOI nie genoeg doen om MIV/Vigs te beveg nie, daarom fokus sy op HOI in Lesotho. Hierdie studie het twee doelstellings ten doel gehad, naamlik om die leerders in ‘n sekere HOI in Lesotho se kennis aangaande MIV/Vigs voorkoming en sorg te bepaal en die behoeftes van die leerders aangaande MIV/Vigs voorkoming en sorg te verken. ‘n Studie met beide kwantitatiewe- en kwalitatiewe metodes is gebruik om die doelstellings te verwesenlik. In die kwantitatiewe fase is ‘n vraelys gebruik om leerders se kennis te bepaal. Die vraelys is verkry uit ‘n vorige studie wat in RSA gedoen is, maar aangepas om in die Lesotho-konteks te gebruik. Gedurende die kwalitatiewe fase is fokusgroep besprekings met die leiers van die leerders gehou om die behoeftes indiepte te verken. Die steekproef was uit die totale populasie getrek deur van gestratifiseerde streekproefneming gebruik te maak in die kwantitatiewe fase en ‘n doelgerigte steekproefneming is in die kwalitatiewe fase te gebruik. Die navorser het ‘n kwantitatiewe data-analise sagteware (SPSS)gebruik om kwantitatiewe data te ontleed en tematiese- oopkodering is gedurende die kwalitatiewe fase gebruik. Etiese kode is ten volle gerespekteer, veral die respek vir mense gedurende navorsing. Bevindinge van die kwantitatiewe fase het bewys dat leerders voldoende kennis aangaande die voorkoming en sorg van MIV/Vigs besit en die kwalitatiewe bevindinge het die behoeftes van leerders met betrekking tot die voorkoming en sorg van MIV/Vigs in ‘n spesifieke HOI in Lesotho geopenbaar. Die aanbevelings is gemaak, gebaseer op die bevindinge uit die twee fases. Beperkinge in die studie is uitgelig. Ter afsluiting is die doelstellings in die studie bereik en die navorsingsvrae beantwoord.