Vulnerable Children Research Articles

Perception of Foster Care As An Alternative To Institutionalization of Orphans And Vulnerable Children (OVC) By Residents of Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State of Nigeria

Perception of Foster Care As An Alternative To Institutionalization of Orphans And Vulnerable Children (OVC) By Residents of Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State of Nigeria

Counseling Regarding Stunting Prevention in Toddlers

Stunting is a serious challenge because it can hinder a child's growth and development. This condition is triggered by malnutrition, repeated infections, and lack of adequate psychosocial stimulation, and is characterized by the child's height being below the appropriate standard. The main causes of stunting are poor parenting patterns, unhealthy eating patterns for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, lack of nutritional and protein intake, and children's high vulnerability to disease. This community service activity was carried out in Sidoharjo Village – I Pasar Miring, Pagar Merbau District, Deli Serdang Regency with a total of 26 participants. The aim of this activity is to provide education regarding stunting prevention in Sidoharjo Village – I Pasar Miring. The main target of this counseling is mothers who have children under five. Implementation of this activity involves collaboration with village officials and village midwives. The method used was presentation of material through lectures and giving leaflets. The material presented includes the concept of stunting, its causes, symptoms, and how to prevent it, including information regarding the contents of my plate. The results of this activity show an increase in participants' understanding of stunting, its causes, symptoms and how to prevent it. In addition, there is increased awareness in dealing with the symptoms of stunting, with the hope of reducing the risk of stunting in children. It is hoped that in the future, activities like this will continue to be carried out so that stunting in toddlers can be avoided.

SOCIAL WORK MAKING REPATRIATION A REALITY: A CASE STUDY FROM THE STATE OF PUNJAB

Children’s homes play a crucial role in providing a safe and nurturing environment for vulnerable children. However, several challenges including managing children from diverse backgrounds, addressing the specific needs of children at different developmental stages etc. persist in children’s homes that may compromise the quality of care and the potential positive outcomes for the children. The study examines pertinent issues within children`s homes, drawing attention to systemic flaws, staffing shortages, language barriers, and procedural discrepancies. This study also focused on evaluating the pivotal role of social workers, as they directly engage with the children and act as the primary facilitators for rehabilitation and family reunification processes. The study analyzed secondary data received through a RTI from children home in Hoshiarpur. This data was analyzed to identify trends related to age demographics and the impact of social workers` interventions on these children. The study`s implications extend to policy formulation, practice enhancement, and future research endeavors, advocating for holistic approaches that prioritize children`s rights, needs, and familial connections within the context of child care institutions.

PERANAN BADAN BUKAN KERAJAAN (NGO) DALAM PEMBANGUNAN PENDIDIKAN KANAK-KANAK KECICIRAN DI SABAH

In Decade, This issue is often a contentious one and is not merely an unfortunate story. In any case, this issue is becoming more and more pressing every year and presents a significant challenge to national development. As we all know, education is the first step in any building project. Education can help the community to develop self-reliance and perseverance starting at a young age, specifically among children. Young people are the future generation that will build the nation. Our country, Malaysia, has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, also known as Konvensyen Mengenai Hak Kanak-Kanak on February 17, 1995. This convention provides protection to children in terms of their rights to education, health, and welfare, among other things. The various factors that these young people experience are primarily influenced by their family's socioeconomic background. Among them are the penury factor, the group lifestyle, and the barrier to education. This article discusses the approach taken by the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to address this issue in the development of vulnerable children alternative education in Sabah. The methodology used for this study is a type of case study that involves analyzing the contents of documents that are submitted to journals and related articles. The various tools that are used to help children become more receptive to receiving alternative education. The research findings indicate the role of the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in the development of vulnerable children in Sabah.

“On an Island”: Foster parent experiences of support during the COVID-19 pandemic

In caring for some of our most vulnerable children, foster parents fill a critically important and challenging role. Yet, research demonstrates that they often experience a lack of social support in this role, a factor that has been shown to buffer against the ill effects of foster parent stress. During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, foster families lost access to typical supports while stressors multiplied. The present study examined the experiences of social support among foster parents during the pandemic through the use of individual semi-structured interviews with 16 licensed foster parents in one Midwestern state. Findings were organized into four main themes, each shedding light on an aspect of foster parents’ experiences of support (or lack thereof) during the pandemic. Themes were titled using direct quotes from participants and include: (1) “On an island,” (2) “You have to respect the foster parent,” (3) “The only way I survived,” and (4) “Supportive in a way that was safe.” Participants indicated that the pandemic exacerbated many challenging aspects of fostering, such as isolation and feeling disrespected. However, some sources of support, such as extended family, were invaluable. Additionally, many forms of support were either developed or adapted to be delivered in accordance with COVID-19 safety guidelines. The findings presented here carry implications for foster care research and practice both within and beyond public health emergencies such as COVID-19.

Readiness for change: Understanding the importance of empowering leadership

This study investigates the connections between empowerment, leadership, learning culture, physical environment, and readiness for change among social workers in child welfare organizations. Utilizing data from a comprehensive organizational health assessment survey of 2,832 individuals, exploratory structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is employed to analyze the direct and indirect effects of empowerment variables on readiness for change, as well as the influence of leadership, learning culture, and physical environment. The findings highlight the importance of trust, self-determination, personal consequence, and meaning in enhancing social workers’ sense of empowerment, with trust emerging as the most influential factor. Effective leadership, a positive learning culture, and professional development are identified as key factors contributing to increased readiness for change. These results offer practical insights for child welfare organizations to enhance caseworker empowerment and readiness for change, emphasizing the significance of trust, autonomy, skill recognition, and meaningfulness, as well as investing in leadership development and fostering a supportive learning culture. Future research can explore these relationships further and identify additional factors to improve organizational effectiveness and support vulnerable children and families.

Stakeholder Participation in Needs Assessment and Sustainability of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Projects in Mount Elgon Sub-County, Kenya

Most projects are customized in project management. Hence, successful accomplishment of the projects requires stakeholder participation. Moreover, the management of stakeholder’s participation in OVC projects is1 receiving more concentration in practice. The objective of the study was to establish the influence of stakeholder participation on sustainability of OVC projects in Mount Elgon Sub-County, Kenya. We sought to establish the influence of stakeholder participation in needs assessment on sustainability of OVC projects in Mount Elgon Sub-County, Kenya. The two grounding theories were; Freeman’s stakeholder theory and resource-based theory. The study employed a descriptive survey research design with a target population of 176 and a sample size of 122 stakeholders. The study applied quantitative methods of data collection. The questionnaires were pre-coded to ease data entry. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS to obtain frequency distributions, percentages, mean and standard deviations. The study findings delineates that stakeholder participation in needs assessment is significant in influencing sustainability of OVC projects with correlation coefficients of (r=0.623; P<0.000). The study concluded that stakeholder participation in need assessment significantly influences sustainability of OVC projects. The study subsequently recommended that stakeholder participation in needs assessment should be comprehensively undertaken during implementation of OVC projects in order to enhance their sustainability.

The Impact of Childhood Adversity on Life Course Alcohol Use Patterns and Health Status Among People Living with HIV

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and financial hardship are associated with increased likelihood of heavier alcohol use and health challenges in adulthood among persons living with HIV (PWH). We examined whether retrospectively captured lifetime drinking trajectories are a pathway through which childhood hardships affect current health in a sample of 365 adult PWH. Childhood economic hardship and ACEs were used as main predictors. Measures of alcohol use included age at first drink and lifetime drinking trajectories. Health indicators included health-related quality of life, frailty, number of comorbidities, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to estimate both direct and indirect pathways between childhood hardship and physical and mental health. Participants were mostly male; Black (84%); and averaged 48 years of age. SEM results supported both direct and indirect pathways between childhood experiences and adult health. ACEs were connected to physical health directly and mental health both directly and indirectly through age at first drink and drinking heaviness during ages 10–20. Childhood economic hardship related to mental health indirectly through higher drinking levels during ages 10–20. Childhood adverse experiences, economic hardship, and early drinking patterns appear to accumulate, resulting in later life physical and mental health concerns for PWH. Findings support taking a life course approach to health. This includes considering individual trauma histories in HIV care engagement and taking preventative approaches which support the economic and social well-being of vulnerable children to improve health in subsequent decades.

The Utility of Socioeconomic and Remoteness Indicators in Understanding the Geographical Variation in the Regional Prevalence of Early Childhood Vulnerability in Australia

The family lives of children and their early childhood development outcomes are attributable to the level of socio-economic disadvantage and relative isolation. This study aims to investigate how the disadvantage of the local area (i.e., socio-economic indexes for areas (SEIFA)) and the remoteness (i.e., accessibility/remoteness index of Australia (ARIA)) contribute to improved prevalence estimates of child development vulnerability in statistical areas level 3 (SA3) and 4 (SA4) across Australia. Data from the 2018 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) has been used. The study included 308,953 children involved in the AEDC 2018 where one-in-ten of them were considered to be developmentally vulnerable, nationally. We developed models in a hierarchical Bayesian framework at the SA3 level using SEIFA and ARIA indices as covariates to account for spatial and unobserved heterogeneity. The performances of developed models are examined based on the consistency at SA3, SA4, and state level. The results reveal that SEIFA makes a significant contribution to explaining the spatial variation in childhood development vulnerability across small domains in Australia. Further, the inclusion of the ARIA score improves the model performance and provides better accuracy, particularly in remote and very remote regions. In these regions, the spatial model fails to distinguish the remoteness characteristics. The chosen non-spatial model accounting for heterogeneity at higher hierarchies performs best. The utilization of socio-economic disadvantage and geographic remoteness of the finer level domains helps to explain the geographic variation in child development vulnerability, particularly in sparsely populated remote regions in Australia.

"I feel [so alone] nothing" - emotional vulnerability and detachment as transdiagnostic key characteristics of patients with chronic tinnitus: a schema mode model approach.

Gold-standard approaches for chronic tinnitus involve hearing amplification measures and psychological therapy, where applicable. Whilst schema therapy is accumulating evidence as a transdiagnostically useful treatment framework, its applicability for patients with chronic tinnitus has not yet been examined. The present study (a) explores latent dimensions of psychological distress in a sample of chronic tinnitus patients, and (b) examines whether the schema mode model might explain these dimensions - thus constituting a potentially helpful conceptualization and treatment framework. N = 696 patients with chronic tinnitus completed the Tinnitus Questionnaire, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Questionnaire and ICD-10 Symptom Rating. As criterion, patients further completed the Schema Mode Inventory (SMI-r) - which assesses psychological constructs linked to negative self-beliefs ("parent modes"), primary emotions resulting from unmet psychological needs ("child modes"), and secondary emotional or behavioral attempts to reinstate or maintain psychological equilibrium ("coping modes"). A varimax-rotated principal axis factor analysis grouped the primary item pool. Factor scale scores were then correlated with the SMI-r. A three-factor solution explained 37.4% of variance and represented 78% of the included items. Following item content examination, the factors represented (1) General emotional distress, (2) Tinnitus-attributed emotional distress, and (3) Socio-audiological impairment. Factors 1|2 correlated highly (r= 0.70), Factors 2|3 moderately (r = 0.62). Linked to the schema mode model, Factor 1 correlated highly with the "vulnerable child" (r = 0.78), and moderately with the "parent", "angry child", and "detached protector" modes (0.53 < r < 0.65). Factor 2 correlated moderately with the "vulnerable child" (r = 0.53). Factor 3 was largely uncorrelated with SMI-r scores - although a low correlation with the "detached protector" warrants further examination. "General" and "tinnitus-attributed" emotional distress correlate highly - warranting holistic (not symptom-specific) psychological case conceptualization and treatment planning. Viewed from a schema mode perspective, the "vulnerable child" explains substantial variance across both dimensions. Consequently, autobiographically anchored, unmet emotional needs and emotional detachment constitute key treatment targets. Social-audiological impairment should be multimodally conceptualised and treated with hearing aids and psychological support measures, as applicable.

Vulnerability in Children with Celiac Disease: Findings from a Scoping Review.

(1) Background: The scientific literature highlights that children diagnosed with celiac disease (CD) are at a heightened risk of experiencing physical, psychological, and social challenges, impacting their overall healthy childhood development. However, there remains a lack of a clear understanding regarding the factors that contribute to this vulnerability. The purpose of this study is to analyze and map the evidence on the sociopsychosomatic vulnerability of these children and identify gaps in this topic. (2) Methods: Following Joanna Briggs Institute's guidelines for scoping reviews, we executed a detailed search of key electronic databases and explored the grey literature to capture a broad spectrum of studies. Our focus was on identifying research that looked into the multiple dimensions of vulnerability-physical, psychological, and social-in children with CD. We included a diverse range of study designs as well as systematic reviews, ensuring a comprehensive analysis. The selection process was stringent, utilizing clearly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. (3) Results: We identified 61 studies that met our inclusion criteria. The review highlighted significant adverse health outcomes in children with CD and elucidated various individual and environmental determinants that influenced these vulnerabilities. It also underscored the lack of assessment tools to evaluate the risk of health problems in this population. (4) Conclusions: The findings underscore a critical need for further research to deepen our understanding of the vulnerabilities associated with CD in children. Developing targeted assessment tools will be crucial in stratifying health risks and enhancing care strategies for this vulnerable population.

Health risk assessment of groundwater quality: A case study of Pratapgarh district U.P, India

To investigate the geochemical factors contributing to the presence of fluoride and nitrate in groundwater and their implications for human health, samples from the Sadar Region, Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh, India underwent analysis for diverse chemical parameters. The findings indicate that the groundwater exhibits an alkaline nature, primarily characterized by the presence of Na-K-SO4-Cl and Ca-Mg-SO4-Cl type facies. According to the water pollution index, in pre-monsoon 47.5 %, 50 % monsoon, and 48 % of Post-monsoon, samples were considered “extremely polluted,” with a WPI score greater than 1, indicating that the water was unsafe for human consumption. By computing Total Hazard Index (THI) values, it’s determined that 12 sample sites show significant contamination, with over 65 % of males, 83 % of females, and 90 % of children exhibiting THI values surpassing 1.0, indicating the highest levels of contamination. Health risk assessments highlight the increased vulnerability of children and females to potential health hazards. The Piper plot illustrates the dominance of Cl- and some SO42- type waters, indicating a prevalence of strong acid dominance over weak acid waters. Cation composition analysis reveals the preponderance of alkaline earth metals over alkali metals, primarily composed of Ca2+ with some Mg2+ type water. This research underscores the urgency of addressing groundwater contamination and its potential health impacts, emphasizing the need for comprehensive mitigation strategies in the Indo-Gangetic alluvium.

A mixed methods study of schema modes amongst people living with eating disorders

BackgroundSchema therapy is promising for people with eating disorders, especially those unresponsive to cognitive behavioural therapy. Complex underlying psychological constructs include dysfunctional schemas and maladaptive modes. This study aimed to explore people living with eating disorders’ schema modes and their identification with and understanding of their high scoring modes.MethodsSixteen women with enduring eating disorders without prior exposure to schema therapy completed the schema mode inventory for eating disorders short form (SMI-ED-SF), then participated in semi-structured interviews discussing their high scoring modes. Interviews were analysed by thematic analysis.ResultsAll participants scored above clinical concern on at least one maladaptive mode and many scored high on multiple modes, most commonly Demanding Mode, Vulnerable Child and Detached Self-Soother. Qualitatively, four themes emerged: 1) Adverse family environments related to (a) trauma and the vulnerable and angry child and (b) unrealistically high standards; 2) Mode effects on (a) everyday life and (b) disordered eating; 3) Modes are psychologically protective in (a) avoiding emotion by detachment and soothing, (b) people pleasing by compliance and surrender; 4) Help seeking including (a) barriers to recovery from an eating disorder, (b) dissatisfaction with interventions experienced to date, (c) schema therapy as a promising alternative.DiscussionParticipants recognised and identified with their high scoring schema modes. After negative experiences with previous interventions, they considered schema therapy to be a promising alternative that could understand and work on their deeper psychological issues. This suggests that schema modes are a promising way of understanding and working with enduring eating disorders.

Intuitive eating, diet quality, and nutritional status of vulnerable children living separated from their families: A pilot study

AbstractNutritional problems can be seen in children living separated from their families. This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to evaluate intuitive eating, diet quality, and nutritional status of children living separated from their families. A total of 55 adolescent girls aged 12–18 years participated in the study. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical data, and 24-h dietary recall data were collected. The Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) and the Turkish version of the Healthy Lifestyle-Diet (HLD-TR) index were used. Participants were divided into two groups according to their scores on the diet quality index using the 50th percentile. Group 1 consisted of participants with a score of 25 points or less, and Group 2 consisted of participants with a score above 25 points. Waist circumference (72.0 (66–83), 65.0 (60–77)) was significantly higher in Group 1 (P &lt; 0.05). IES–2 score (3.05 (2.85–3.40), 3.30 (3.12–3.90)) and two sub–factors; reliance in hunger and satiety cues (2.80 (1.80–3.40), 4.00 (2.60–4.60)) and body–food choice congruence (2.50 (2.00–3.50), 3.50 (3.00–4.50)) were higher in Group 2 (P &lt; 0.05). After adjustment for body mass index, age, and energy intake, there was a significant positive correlation between IES-2 and HLD-TR scores (P = 0.029). In conclusion, it may be advantageous to resort to strategies that promote intuitive eating to reduce obesity and associated problems in this vulnerable group.

Characteristics of children aged 5 and under presenting with ingestion: An analysis of cases from a tertiary child protection unit.

This study aimed to determine what proportion of children presenting to a tertiary children's hospital with ingestion were referred for child protection assessment, and to describe the characteristics of the referred group. This is a retrospective case series study of children who presented to a tertiary children's hospital between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2020 with ingestion (poisoning). Demographic and clinical data were collected from the electronic medical record and patients who underwent child protection assessment were identified. The child protection group was compared to the whole cohort. The child protection group had psychosocial data gathered and descriptively analysed. Two hundred and three patients were included. The most common substances ingested were over-the-counter medications (45%) followed by prescription medications (41%). Most patients were discharged from the emergency department (70%). Of the 203 patients, 24 (11.8%, 95% CI 7.72-17.08) were referred to the child protection unit. A significant proportion of these patients had a history of parental depression (64%) and other mental health conditions (41%), parent separation (77%) and domestic violence in the home (64%). The patients assessed by the child protection team had high prevalence of psychosocial risk factors that also place the patients at risk of child abuse and neglect. Most of the other patients did not have a psychosocial history documented in the medical record, and this group likely contains a high proportion of vulnerable children. By screening patients presenting with ingestion we may be able to identify children at risk and provide opportunities for protective intervention.

Analysis of the Implementation of Gerakan Ayo Sekolah Movement in Improving the Human Development Index in Ketapang District

The research analyzes the implementation of Gerakan Ayo Sekolah (GAS) Program in dealing with Out-of-school children (ATS) and Out of School Adults (DTS) in Ketapang Regency. Carried out in four sub-districts, namely Matan Hilir Utara, Muara Pawan, Delta Pawan, and Benua Kayong. This research method uses qualitative research, the results of the analysis show an average of strengths and weaknesses of 3.2, and opportunities and threats of 3. IFAS (Internal Factor Analysis Summary) value is 2.81 and EFAS (External Factor Analysis Summary) is 2.79 placing GAS (Gerakan Ayo Sekolah) in a position of growth. Data shows an increase in the HDI (Human Development Index) from 67.92% (2021) to 68.68% (2023), associated with an increase in the average length of schooling through GAS (Gerakan Ayo Sekolah). A total of 54 individuals returned to school, both formal and non-formal. SWOT analysis integrates internal and external factors towards the implementation of GAS (Gerakan Ayo Sekolah). Matrix IE (Internal External) shows the growth potential of GAS (Gerakan Ayo Sekolah) in increasing the HDI (Human Development Index), with the intersection point in quadrant V, indicating the potential of GAS (Gerakan Ayo Sekolah) in increasing the HDI (Human Development Index) through efforts to overcome dropping out of school and preventing vulnerable children from dropping out of school.

Association between Chronic Misophonia-Induced Stress and Gastrointestinal Pathology in Children-A Hypothesis.

Misophonia is a neurophysiological disorder with behavioral implications, is complex and multifactorial in origin, and is characterized by an atypical and disproportionate emotional response to specific sounds or associated visual stimuli. Triggers include human-generated sounds, mainly sounds related to feeding and breathing processes, and repetitive mechanical sounds. In response to the triggering stimulus, the patient experiences immediate, high-intensity, disproportionate physical and emotional reactions that affect their quality of life and social functioning. The symptoms of misophonia can occur at any age, but onset in childhood or adolescence is most common. Affected children live in a constant state of anxiety, suffer continuous physical and emotional discomfort, and are thus exposed to significant chronic stress. Chronic stress, especially during childhood, has consequences on the main biological systems through the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, including the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we provide arguments for a positive correlation between misophonic pathology and gastrointestinal symptoms, and this hypothesis may be the starting point for further longitudinal studies that could investigate the correlations between these childhood vulnerabilities caused by misophonia and their effect on the gastrointestinal system. Further research to study this hypothesis is essential to ensure correct and timely diagnosis and optimal psychological and pharmacological support.

Crisis in crisis: Boko Haram violence, orphaned children, and the precariousness in human survival in Northeast Nigeria

ABSTRACT The bulk of research exploring the impacts of Boko Haram-induced crisis in Nigeria’s Northeast region focuses on the country’s social, economic, and political conditions while the understanding on the welfare of vulnerable populations – children living in the conflict-ridden communities is sparse. This study addresses the sparsity by investigating the plights of children who became orphans in the wake of horrific Boko Haram attacks in the region in the mid-2010s. Using a qualitative method, we draw insights from Damaturu, Yobe State, where three hundred and eight (orphaned) children were recruited and interviewed. Based on our analysis of the interview data, we argue that they suffered life-threatening situations – parental fatalities by insurgents, alms begging, hard labour for sustenance, degrading living conditions, sexual exploitation, and recruitment into armed groups for violence. The cumulative effects of the attacks made them unsafe and vulnerable to unconventional coping strategies and delinquency amidst the precarity of decent living in the communities. We provide key research and policy-relevant evidence in advancing the understanding of the predicaments of children in wars and socio-politically precarious environments. Also, we underscore the need for holistic and targeted interventions that include vulnerable children in post-insurgency humanitarian efforts to mitigate their discomfort and improve their living conditions.

Social Support System and Vulnerable Children in Need: Toward 2030 Sustainable Development Goals 3 ‘Good Health and Well‐Being’ (Part I)

Social Support System and Vulnerable Children in Need: Toward 2030 Sustainable Development Goals 3 ‘Good Health and Well‐Being’ (Part I)

Commissioning Care

A shortage of provision and a rise in vulnerable children has made social care placements harder to find and more expensive for councils and led to policymakers developing plans for regional commissioning