Central and Eastern
Europe-Commonwealth of Independent States
The area
I choose to look at was Central and Eastern Europe-Commonwealth of Independent
States. The reason why I chose this area
is because I know so little about the state of care and education in this part
of the world. I am curious as to the
conditions the children live in.
The
challenges that the children of this area are experiencing include children who
have disabilities are kept socially distance, violence within schools, extreme
poverty, and a lack of access to social services such as health care and child
care.
In the Kyrgyz Republic children
are placed in institutions because lack access to social services such as day
care. Parents are not able to work and
pay for the family. They turn their
children over to institutions. The
private institutions have no monitoring by the government and provide many
safety hazards such as lack of heating, poor sanitation, and deprive children
of their family environment. Reform is
coming in the Kyrgyz Republic to help with child care reform (UNICEF, 2011). Children in Montenegro suffer mostly from
poverty-every 10th child suffers from poverty. Children under the age of 5 are the heaviest
concentration of those affected. Parents
who have not finished secondary schooling, children from north of Montenegro
and rural areas are hit the hardest. Poor
households with children are farthest from primary healthcare and schooling (UNICEF,
2011).
The
experience of poverty is going to have a lifetime effect on children. Without proper nutrition and healthcare they
will not succeed in school as well. They
will be at an academic disadvantage to their peers who have had proper
nutrition and healthcare. If they are malnourished they may not have the
strength and muscle tone that is needed for an active life style and they will
not be able to fight off many childhood illnesses. For the Kyrgyz Republic children who are
placed in institutions they are deprived of the interaction and care that a
parent figure will give them. They may
have a higher rate for depression and an inability to relate or bond with
others.
As a professional in the early
childhood field I feel sadness and struggle for these children. With such odds against them they are going to
struggle more than any child should have to.
It does seem that the government is trying to make the proper reform in
the childcare area, but knowing how long it takes and the red tape that will
come, it may be too late for many children.
With properly trained and caring professionals in the early childhood
centers, these children will have more success than if they were just left
alone. It is my hope that in the reform
the governments are making that they see the huge impact early childhood
professionals make in a child’s life.
Resources
UNICEF (2011). Analysis of the Situation of Children’s Residential
Institutions in the Kyrgyz Republic. Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html
UNICEF (2011). Every tenth child in Montenegro is poor. Retrieved
from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html
Your analysis of the website was a very good one... As I can read in your blog the wide world experience the same things we do in America. It is sad to see how the world is fading with so many issues. When we all going to change it. At least in our hands is to impact this early stage.
ReplyDeleteI learn so much about the country you chose from your blog. It make me reflect on how we sometime take education for granted. We really need to step up as early childhood professionals and make sure we provide children with what they need.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to think that in this day and age, children with disabilities are still segregated and kept socially distant, especially in light of what we have been learning this week. Combine that with poverty and lack of healthcare or intervention and these children are truly facing difficult challenges. Thanks for sharing.
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