Childcare arrangements made in Maina village: implications for child development
Loading...
Date
2014-05-01
Authors
Gichuru, Betsy W.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Childcare is necessary if a child is to survive, grow and develop. Childcare has primarily
been provided by mothers with support from members of the extended family and older
siblings. However social and economic changes occurring over the years, affected the
ability of family members to provide childcare. Different childcare arrangements were
thus made to cope with these constraints. These changes in armngements expose children
to different caregivers, activities and environments and have implications on child
development, especially in the early years of childhood when rapid development of
intelligence, personality and social behaviour occurs. Although childcare arrangements
are important for child development, studies in the third world are deficient in information
and analysis of their implications on development. This study set out to determine the
childcare arrangements made by families and the implications these had on child
development. A descriptive survey design with both quantitative and qualitative methods
of data collection and analysis was used. Data were collected through questionnaires from
a random sample of 75 families from Maina village, a slum in the environs of Nyahururu
town. Observations were then made for a sub-sample of five families drawn from the
main sample. Data were analysed for childcare arrangements, reasons for. choice of
childcare arrangements and relationships between selected demographic variables and
childcare arrangements. Childcare activities and environments were also analysed for
their bearing on child development. The findings revealed that the major (71%) childcare
arrangement was maternal care. Other arrangements were the nursery school, childcare
support by siblings and extended family members. Results on reasons for the choice of
childcare arrangements indicated that non-availability of other caregivers, the
compatibility of mother's occupations with childcare and mothers preference to undertake
childcare of their infants contributed to the prevalence of maternal care. The demographic
factors that influenced the choice of childcare arrangements were mothers and children's
age. There were positive. implications for child development in maternal care due to
caregiving activities that fostered adequate physical growth, development of security and
trust, vocalization and cognitive development, motor skills and social behaviour. The
nursery school had positive implications for the development of children aged above three
years but not for children under three years old. This was because nursery school
activities and environments did not cater for their needs. Results on children care by
siblings showed that activities carried out differed depending on the maturity of the care
giver. Childcare by immature siblings had negative implications due to absence of
feeding, affectionate interaction, sanitation and safety. Recommendations for education
and training of mothers and nursery school teachers on child development were outlined.
Use of child to child approaches to train sibling caregivers on childcare was
recommended. Recommendations for developing specific age appropriate activities and
materials for under three year oids in the nursery school and expansion of recreational
facilities were also delineated.
Description
Department of Community Resource Management and Extension, 93 p. 2009. HQ 778.5 .G5