Background to Study The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), a disease of the last two decades, has devastated the world like no other. Its impact is far-reaching, affecting every region, race, occupation, and cutting across all age groups and social classes. Since its discovery in the mid-1980s, there has not been a more serious medical, social and economical challenge for humankind. The variety of strains, and the way in which these HIV strains transmute within the human body are still to be fully grasped. As HIV cuts its swath around the world, the Caribbean region has felt its impact in devastating ways and as a region is now placed second only to Sub Saharan Africa in prevalence rates. The UNAIDS report for 2002 states that since its discovery there are over 42 million persons infected with HIV, and over 20 million of those persons have died. Adults are most severely affected by HIV as is reflected in the 38.6 million adult cases (almost equally men and women); but there are 3.2 million cases of infected children under the age of 15. It is estimated that 5 million persons were newly infected in 2002, of which 800,000 were children under 15 years. Children are of course also affected in much greater numbers, even when not contracting the disease, because of their dependence on parents and other adults. Developing countries are hardest hit; it is estimated that 95% of the 14,000 new cases daily occur in these countries (UNAIDS, 2003).1 In the Caribbean, 600,000 persons have been estimated to be living with AIDS (UNAIDS, 2003); HIV/AIDS is currently the leading cause of death in the 15 to 44 age group (UNAIDS, 2002)2. At the end of 1999, the Caribbean Regional Epidemiological Centre (CAREC) reported that the Caribbean was leading North and Central America in the number of AIDS cases per 100,000 population (CAREC, 2000).3 All these figures have caused alarm and resulted in world leaders paying close attention to how the pandemic affects their respective countries. Jamaica reflects the pattern seen in the Caribbean. The first case of AIDS was diagnosed in 1986 and since then, all efforts to curb the spread have yielded little result. Of the 6549 cases reported up to 2002, 61.6% have died. In 2000, the adult prevalence rate stood at 0.7%, moving to 1.2% in 2001 and a drastic 1.6% in 2002 (Ministry of Health, 2002),4 thus more than doubling in 2 years. Although childhood infection rate has not been estimated, the total population infection rate has been estimated from the prevalence seen in pregnant women. As heterosexual transmission continues to rise, many more children in Jamaica will feel the impact of HIV/AIDS in the years to come. For some that time may be far removed, while for others the disease may be within them already destroying their immune system, and eventually leading to their death. Although most AIDS deaths will be of adults, it is very often the children who feel the greatest impact. Children are experiencing, and will experience at an increasing rate, the deaths of their parents, other family members, teachers, and even their peers. Deaths will affect the provision of education, health and welfare services in the country. Children will grow up in communities where death is a common experience, affecting them emotionally, economically and psychologically. Further, the epidemic violates many of the fundamental rights of children. A key global concern is meeting the increasingly difficult circumstances of children, families and whole communities affected by HIV/AIDS. As world leaders contemplate strategies, little attention has yet been paid to HIV/AIDS prevalence and impact within the early childhood age group (birth through age 8) in the Caribbean. The annual meeting of the International Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development (May 2003) confirmed that worldwide, even in high prevalence areas, this is also the case. It is clear that a stronger focus on children must involve the education sector in offering support and care to those infected and affected as its principal beneficiaries are young people ranging in age from infancy to adulthood (Kelly, 2002). …