Marseille 2007
Marseille 2007
Abstract book
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Abstract #327  -  WHAT ABOUT THE VERY YOUNG CHILD?
Session:
  26.24: Posters B (Poster) on Tuesday   in  Chaired by
Authors:
  Presenting Author:   Mrs PAMELA, MARGARET PICKEN - TREE (Training & Resources in Early Education), South Africa
 
  Additional Authors:   
Aim:
How community based resources can be mobilised to support very young children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS success and challenges of an integrated, cross-sectoral approach in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
 
Method / Issue:
The psychosocial and other needs of very young children impacted by HIV/AIDS have been largely neglected in research, governments policies, planning, implementation and resource provision strategies. Consequently, the challenge is to build capacity and support families and communities to meet the rights and needs of young children, and ensure they have access to basic social services. This requires an integrated framework that is bottom up, but supported from the top by government.
 
Results / Comments:
DESCRIPTION This paper outlines the current successes and challenges of an integrated framework developing in Nkandla, a poverty nodal rural area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. TREE (Training and Resources in Early Education), an early childhood development non-profit organisation, in partnership with UNICEF, is working with municipal, local government structures and the community to build the capacity of 18 community based child care centres in 2 municipal wards, to become nodes of care and support for vulnerable young children and their households. 21 volunteer Family Facilitators have supported more than 650 households to access documents, grants, nutrition, healthcare and early stimulation for their young children. A register of vulnerable children has been developed to support follow-up on referral.
 
Discussion:
LESSONS LEARNED TREE has taken the role of catalyst in promoting meaningful partnerships and ensuring a wide range of stakeholders participate in multi-sectoral forums on childrens issues. Preliminary lessons learned include: the critical importance of working within community protocols and time frames to ensure community ownership. communities themselves are best placed to identify challenges and solutions. governments must support integrated models such as TREEs, by providing communities with enabling environments, support services and access to resources. governments should engage with communities on the best ways to provide support to vulnerable children and families. RECOMMENDATIONS This presentation elaborates on programme design, programme achievements and challenges, lessons learned and the implications for wider society.
 
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