Indigenous Urban Families and the Oportunidades Program in Mexico

This paper uses experimental panel data for Mexico from 1997 to 2000 in order to test assumptions on the impact of a conditional cash transfer (CCT) program on child labor and school attendance, adding to the literature by emphasizing the differential impact on indigenous households. Using data from the CCT program, PROGRESA (later on known as OPORTUNIDADES), we investigate the interaction between child labor, education and indigenous households. While indigenous children had a greater probability of working before the intervention, this probability is reversed after treatment in the program. Indigenous monolingual children also had lower school attainment compared with Spanish-speaking or indigenous bilingual children. After the program, school attainment among indigenous children increased, reducing the gap. In terms of child labor, the larger reduction is in the group of bilingual children.

In Canada, Indigenous families and children experience structurally-rooted marginalization due to longstanding and ongoing histories of colonization and discrimination. Indigenous children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are currently underrepresented in literature and databases on ASD in Canada, raising concerns about their equitable access to related services and optimal health outcomes. This critical scoping review maps out existing and emerging themes in literature pertaining to ASD and the provision of ASD services with Indigenous children and families in Canada. No previous reviews of literature have focused exclusively on ASD among Indigenous children in Canada. A literature search conducted across eight databases between 2011 and 2021 resulted in 362 potentially relevant publications, of which 19 met our inclusion criteria. Findings point to a clear lack of data on ASD and unmet health, social, and educational service needs among Indigenous children with ASD in Canada. ASD is also frequently discussed through a Western, deficit and medical discourse. The main contributors to the lack of data and unmet service needs relate to the historical positioning of colonial oppression, stigma, an overrepresentation of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), lack of funding, and concerns about standardized diagnostic and assessment tools, and social determinants of health. Recommendations for policy, practice and research concerning Indigenous children with ASD are proposed.

Role of maternal age at birth in child development among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian children in their first school year: a population-based cohort study

To compare the prevalence of undernutrition and anemia in indigenous and non-indigenous children < 5 years of age at the national level, by region and by urban and rural areas, and to evaluate the degree to which the socioeconomic condition of the family predicts the differences. A national probabilistic survey was conducted in Mexico in 1999. Indigenous families were identified as those in which at least one woman 12-49 years of age in the household spoke a native language. The prevalence of undernutrition (stunting, wasting and underweight) and anemia was compared between indigenous and non-indigenous children. Probability ratios (PR) were used to compare prevalences in indigenous and non-indigenous children adjusting for socioeconomic status (SES) of the family and for other covariates. The prevalences of stunting and underweight were greater in indigenous than in non-indigenous children. At the national level and in urban areas the prevalences were three times greater and in rural areas approximately 2 times greater (p < 0.05). No differences were found in the prevalence of wasting (p > 0.05). The prevalence of anemia in indigenous children was one third greater than in non-indigenous children at the national level (p < 0.05) and was between 30 and 60% greater in urban areas and in the regions studied (p < 0.05) but was not statistically significant (p > 0.05) in rural areas. These differences were reduced to about half when adjusting for SES but remained significantly higher in indigenous children (p < 0.05). Indigenous children have higher probabilities of stunting and underweight than non-indigenous children. The differences are larger in urban areas and in higher socioeconomic geographic regions and are explained mostly by socioeconomic factors. The overall difference in the probability of anemia is small, is higher only in urban relative to rural areas, and is explained to a lesser degree by socioeconomic factors. Policy and programs should be designed and implemented to reduce the dramatic differences in nutritional status between indigenous and non-indigenous children in Mexico. The English version of this paper is available too at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.

With the documented educational inequities that Indigenous children experience evidenced by disproportionate representation in special education and lower graduation rates, there is a need to better understand the backgrounds, training, professional perspectives, and clinical practices of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) serving this population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to conduct a survey with SLPs from the Mountain West and High Plains region of the United States who serve Indigenous children to understand current patterns and to inform practices that SLPs can apply in addressing educational inequities. SLPs from the Mountain West and High Plains completed an online survey that gathered information about background, training, professional perspectives, and clinical practices. Three hundred thirty-three SLPs completed the survey. Results revealed that respondents, for the most part, understood educational disparities that Indigenous children experience, and they valued Indigenous dialects of English and Indigenous languages. Patterns in practice revealed strong reliance on standardized measures for assessment and a small percentage of respondents using bidialectal or narrative-based strategies. Very few respondents had training on serving Indigenous children and families, yet they had overall awareness of educational disparities experienced by this group. Respondents reported challenges with developing relationships and overcoming access barriers. Their clinical practices were not as tailored to the language and learning needs of Indigenous children, especially when compared to practices recommended in two recent scoping reviews. The Indigenous Connectedness Framework, the abundance model, and Indigenous pedagogies are presented as ways to initiate change and meaningful engagement with Indigenous families and communities. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24100863.

The urgent need for cultural safety and inclusivity when working with Indigenous children with disabilities and their families requires an appreciation of relevant cultural understandings, values, and practices. This critical integrative review identifies and synthesizes works investigating Indigenous perspectives on childhood, development, and disability, emphasizing its significance for professionals in healthcare, social services, and education. A critical integrative review of published works was completed. Five databases were consulted, and the search was supplemented by reference mining and peer and community consultation. Seventeen works met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis generated five cultural considerations for service providers working with Indigenous families: 1) the practice of communal child-rearing; 2) relational identities and the minimization of individual differences; 3) children as gifts and teachers; 4) balance and good relations as key to holistic health; and 5) respect for autonomous development. The reviewed works suggest several ways in which Indigenous perspectives on childhood disability might differ from those of many service providers embedded in Western biomedical education and health institutions. Highlighting these disparate views empowers professionals to reflect on how cultural differences could impact their work with Indigenous children and families and consider approaches that align with Indigenous values and ways of knowing. Implications for service delivery and inter-cultural collaboration are discussed.

This paper uses panel data for Mexico for 1997 to 1999 in order to test several theoretical findings regarding the impact of a conditional cash transfer programs on child labor, emphasizing the differential impact on indigenous households. Using data from the conditional cash transfer program, PROGRESA, in Mexico. The authors investigate the interaction between child labor and the indigenous status of the household and find that indigenous children showed a greater probability of working in 1997 and this probability is reversed after treatment in the program in 1999. Indigenous children also had a lower school attainment compared to children that either only speak Spanish or are bilingual. After the program, school attainment among indigenous children increased, reducing the difference.

ObjectiveTo design and evaluate an intervention targeting urban indigenous Australian children in order to increase their self-efficacy, knowledge and attitudes towards safety.MethodsThe Safe Koori Kids intervention was developed and delivered...

Standardized, norm-referenced assessments of young children’s learning and development pose a number of challenges when used with Indigenous children, beginning with the very notion of the construct “early childhood” that runs counter to some Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Indigenous community leaders and knowledge keepers reject the idea that all children should develop according to a homogenizing universal standard that is not grounded in specific culturally based goals and practices surrounding children’s development and does not respect each child’s unique character. Three key problems arise with creating appropriate assessment of Indigenous young children’s learning and development: 1) assessment in early childhood programs is often done from the perspective of whether children are on track to be ready for school; 2) school systems, early childhood programs, and practitioners face a barrage of pressure to measure children’s “progress” against universalist norms derived from Euro-Western ways of knowing and goals for children’s development; and 3) knowledge of diverse Indigenous young children’s varied lived experiences in today’s urban and rural communities is extremely limited. This paper discusses these obstacles and draws from the author’s many years of collaborating with Indigenous children, families, and communities to co-create culturally relevant assessment in a good way.

ObjectiveAntenatal care (ANC) is crucial to protecting the health of pregnant women and their unborn children; however, the uptake of ANC among pregnant women in low and middle-income countries (LMICs)...

Conditional cash transfer programs and household labor supply

Conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs are quickly replacing old welfare programs because they help the poorest members of society both on the short and long terms. On the short term, the extra discretionary income provided by these programs help participant families meet their pressing basic needs. On the long term, these cash transfers are conditional on participants engaging in health and education-related activities that directly benefit their children, as an attempt to extract the new generation from the vicious circle of poverty. The impact of CCT programs on their main goals (health, education, and nutrition) has already been widely tested and documented. The main purpose of our current study is to assess the impact of a fully implemented program (Bolsa Familia in Brazil) on consumption behavior. This is important for several reasons. First, CCT programs represent a substantial boost in participants’ discretionary income, all funneled into consumption, resulting into a substantial additional demand for certain product categories. Second, critics of CCT programs claim that most of this discretionary income is squandered in superfluous consumption, pushing these poor households into new unsustainable lifestyle. Third, most tests of the impact of CCT programs are based on controlled experiments conducted either before or at the beginning of the program’s full implementation. In contrast, our assessment is done after Bolsa Familia has been fully implemented, which required us to design a natural experiment combining propensity scoring with econometric modeling. Based on this natural experiment, we are able to quantify the effect of Bolsa Familia on its participants and also the incremental demand for various product categories generated by this CCT program. Contrary to what detractors of the program claim, we find that most of the extra cash is devoted to essential goods (food, clothing, etc.) rather than superfluous consumption.

Measuring the Impact of a Conditional Cash Transfer Program on Consumption Behavior with Propensity Scoring

There has been little research into Australian Indigenous families' use of a tertiary paediatric hospital in Western Australia. Scrutiny of existing scientific literature and the reports of government and non-governmental organisations from 1995 onwards did not identify clear referral pathways, health-seeking behaviours or preferences of Indigenous families for a culturally safe hospital model. Family-centred care requires an understanding of how Indigenous children and families arrive at a health service, and the cultural and practical implications of large distances and of leaving other family members behind.

Introduction. There is a need for culturally-aligned wellness measures for Indigenous children, youth and families of turtle island (Canada). Following an identified community need, we co-developed a semi-structured discussion and arts-based measure with the guidance of an Indigenous Community Council. Methods. This study involved 12 adult community members, 11 of whom identify as First Nation and one of whom identifies a Métis. Two members were First Nations Elders. All members of the Council held knowledge related to mental health, wellbeing, social work, traditional knowledge, policy development, and/or Indigenous governance. Indigenous Community Council facilitated small group meetings were conducted online due to social-distancing pandemic requirements to develop a culturally grounded wellness assessment suitable for use with Indigenous children, youth and families. Results. Analyses suggest conversational and arts-based methods to be most culturally relevant in keeping with traditional values of relational wellbeing and storytelling. Additional themes of importance included reciprocity related to providing resources and tangible supports to those who interact with the wellness assessment. Wholism, a limited focus on numeracy, and a strengths-based approach were also revealed to be critical. These results produced the core questions to be used within the wellness assessment created in fulfillment of study aims. Implications and Future Directions. The purpose of the development of this tool is to meet the wellness needs of Indigenous children and families through traditional values and metrics of wellbeing. This approach is used to promote autonomy for Indigenous families by creating a means for understanding wellness developed by Indigenous people, for Indigenous people. The impact of this research will span across community, policy, and practice to contribute to health and wellness sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples in support of intergenerational family thriving.