Helping families to help their children
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© UNICEF Uzbekistan/2005/Matteo Mode |
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Children playing at the Family Education Centre in Khorezm. |
Issue
Families need support in improving their parenting role. A Child-rearing study conducted in 2002 by UNICEF in Karakalpakstan (validated by similar surveys in Fergana and Tashkent), revealed that a large number of parents did not interact with their children, gave little importance to play, treated children strictly and rarely expressed appreciation for good behaviour. The study also estimated that over 50% of pregnancies were unwanted, whilst many respondents believed that infant deaths were caused by supernatural factors, rather than infections and the mother’s ill-health.
In Uzbekistan, the child and its family face numerous threats to their health and development:
• A high infant mortality, under-5 mortality and maternal mortality rates;
• Prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia amongst children and over 60% women of child bearing age (source: Uzbekistan CCA 2003);
• Iodine deficiency disorders affecting 60% of the population (source: Uzbekistan CCA 2003)
• Minimal Early Childhood Development (ECD) services for children aged under 3
• Low pre-school coverage for 3-6 year olds (resulting in inadequate preparation for school
• Lack of information amongst families on appropriate child care that could prevent child illnesses, deaths and poor cognitive development
Action
Family Education Programme
In response, a National Family Education Programme was developed. The overall goal of the programme is to empower families and communities with the capacity to make rights-based decisions and actions to ensure that children are healthy, well-nourished and well-educated; and are able to live in safe, hygienic, environmentally-friendly and non-discriminatory communities.
In order to achieve this, the programme focuses upon:
• Increasing knowledge and skills of families and communities on childcare;
• Improving childcare practices of families and communities;
• Increasing the proportion of children participating in Early Childhood Development (ECD) and programmes for older children.
This initiative recognizes the importance of and facilitates the active involvement of parents, siblings and extended family members, in organized neighbourhood play/learning activities with health, nutrition, environmental hygiene and early education content. Thus, the programme aims to improve parents’ and family members’ skills to provide care for children in the area of breast-feeding, complementary feeding, child nutrition, growth monitoring, completion of vaccinations, identification of the symptoms of major childhood illnesses and early stimulation and learning. Furthermore, the FEP will improve interactive communication skills among family members at home (i.e. asking for help from each other, especially women from husbands and elders), and family members in the community (i.e. searching for services) stressing the mutual benefits to be enjoyed by all involved.
FEP helps families and communities to prevent disease, neglect and deprivation by:
• Preparing children for school at home and in pre-schools;
• Helping adolescents to develop life skills that will prepare them to live full and productive lives as adults;
• Implementing early learning activities at home;
• Providing training on health and development issues to home visiting nurses, doctors, local leaders, kindergarten teachers, community volunteers and NGOs;
• Developing materials for trainers and family members (Facts for Life is the main reference in training activities);
• Conducting advocacy activities centred on the promotion of child rights;
• Assisting local officials and community leaders in generating funds for FEP activities.
Impact
These initiatives are helping to encourage communities to become more sensitive to children’s needs and committed to creating a healthy, safe and friendly environment for children. In such a community, members work closely with service providers, parents and local governments to improve environmental hygiene, health and education services, with all partners equally involved in the design and implementation of programmes. Benefits include:
• A healthy home environment where parents and family members care for and support pregnant or breastfeeding mothers and children of all age groups;
• Parents, particularly fathers, playing and interacting with their children;
• Increased positive interaction with neighbours and other parents in a learning setting.
• Enhanced self-esteem as a result of improved home surroundings, family well-being, and improved relationships with children;
• Increased demand for and access to basic services for children; and improved knowledge, skills and appreciation of integrated child-care for parents;
• Government and communities actively supporting child and family-focused programs, particularly ECD, and ensuring availability of services. With growing demand for services by empowered families, government institutions and communities are encouraged to provide policy support and ensure availability of manpower, infrastructure and commodities for programmes for children and women.
Above all, a home environment that cares for and supports women and children is desirable. The home under the FEP is an environment that is healthy, safe, stimulating and affectionate in which the child interacts with other family members, who in turn develop their own capabilities and play a vital role in monitoring a child’s health, growth and psychosocial and cognitive development, and are able to detect problems for timely action.
