Blog Week 7:  Impacts on Early Emotional Development

“Day of the African Child draws attention to children living with disabilities.”

Share with your colleagues the area of the world you chose and why.

I chose South Africa because this country has always been a great interest of mine. Growing up as a child, I would watch the commercial about the devastating events that took place in Africa. And what has always stayed with me is the children whose lives are and has been affected by the government decisions. Because this week’s discussion topic has been on children with varying abilities; I thought the information presented in the article, colleagues would benefit from it. Knowing that children with varying abilities all around the world has been affected in some shape form of fashion from this sets a stage for social justice, and change for children all around the world.

 

 Describe in detail some of the challenges that children in this region of the world are confronting.

Many children living with disabilities are denied their right to an education. They are also more likely to drop out of school and have lower learning achievements than other children. According to Mr. Chalklen, one of the main underlying factors behind this grim situation is lack of political will (UNICEF, 2012).

The theme of this year’s Day of the African Child, selected by the African Union, is ‘The Rights of Children with Disabilities: The Duty to Protect, Respect, Promote and Fulfil’. To commemorate the 22nd anniversary of this Day, UNICEF Podcast moderator Femi Oke spoke with Shuaib Chalklen, UN Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission for Social Development (UNICEF, 2012). With this being said, it is time for politicians, researchers, administrations, educators and all who play a valuable part in children’s education to take a stand for the rights of children with varying disabilities so that they are given the same opportunities as any other child.

  

Explain how these experiences might have an effect on children’s emotional wellbeing and development.

As I stated above; because children with disabilities are more likely be denied an education, more than likely they will socially, emotionally, and mentally feel inadequate as a productive human being trying to survive in their everyday surroundings. In the last twenty-years there has been a significant amount of positive change advancing the rights of children with disabilities in South Africa. There have been twenty-nine countries that have accepted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Include a personal and professional reflection. Explain the insights you gained and the influences they may have on you as a person and as an early childhood professional.

I’m first grateful for living in a country where children rights are respected to the fullest extent. Social justice has been a very important aspect in my educational journey and work with children and families who lives are affected by poverty. It is heart aching knowing that it’s only been over twenty-years that children in South Africa that has disabilities are now being accommodated with resources so that they can receive an education. Working with children who has varying abilities has been very rewarding; for I know that I’m making a change in their lives. I always indicated to my daughter as she was growing up, “Just because you where diagnosed with a learning disability, do not mean you don’t have the ability to learn, and this is the same theory that I instill in children who enter my classroom with varying abilities. As an early childhood educator, my duty is to provide an environment for all children and serve them on an individual bases needed and that’s including children with varying abilities.     

Resource

 UNICEF (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html Explore this website to learn more about hardships affecting children around the world. In the "Countries by region" area, choose one of the eight regions of the world to investigate and then explore the "Regional office website" link on the right side of the web page.