Saturday, July 25, 2015

Sharing Web Resources 2

The U.S. programs on the Save the Children website have been relevant and helpful to my professional work in early childhood. This section helped change my understanding of what it means to "go without" means in America; Save the Children (n.d.) define "going without" as having no access to simple but crucial things such as books, early care, healthy foods, and place to play and exercise- things that help children thrive and grow in mind and body. Also can mean being unable to see a life or future outside of poverty (Save the Children, n.d.). I always looked at "going without" in terms of luxuries not necessities when it came to money. Senator Chris Dodd comments that the America's Report Card,released by First Focus and Save the Children, provides a holistic picture of unmet needs in five areas of a child's life: economic security, early childhood education, K-12 education, permanence and stability, and health and safety in the U.S. (Save the Children, n.d.). This helps to show that politicians understand and support early childhood education. I learned this week from Save the Children that their policy and advocacy work potentially benefits 40 million children around the country (Save the Children, n.d.).

References:
Save the Children, (n.d.). Retrieved July 25, 2015.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Getting to know an International Resource


UNICEF published an article in April discussing the Centre for Children’s Rights at Queens University Belfast that analyzed the situation and identified challenges around child rights education in twenty-six industrialized countries (UNICEF, 2015).  These rights require a formal commitment to make its principles and provisions widely known to adults and children alike (UNICEF, 2015). There were fifteen countries that lack systemic access to child rights education in their curricula and one of these includes the United States (UNICEF, 2015). This was very eye opening to me because the U.S. prides itself in being a free country but lack this understanding for our children and their education.
            In Ghana 33% of children are expected to work and that school attendance for primary school to secondary drops by fifty percent  (UNICEF, n.d.). Looking at Egypt they have a lower percentage of children who are contributing to child labor and less of a drop out rate from primary to secondary education (UNICEF, n.d.). Looking at two different countries on the same continent and having very drastic numbers with poverty and education is very enlightening. It makes me think that there should be more responsibility countries that have more of an advantage should take to help aid their neighboring countries. Helping out disadvantage countries that surround can potential help prevent any potential issues for your own country.

References

UNICEF. (April, 30 2015). Children in 15 out of 26 industrialised countries lack easy access to child rights education. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/media/media_81742.html

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Sharing web resources


Save the Children (www.savethechildren.org ) provides opportunity to learn and care when disaster strikes to every child around the world and the United States (Save the Children, n.d.). Save the Children published a news article this week discussing the emotional distress of the children in Gaza. A year ago now ended the 51-day war that killed 551 children, injuring 3,400 and leaving 1,500 parentless (Save the Children, 2015). Many were left homeless and witnessed events that would give any adult nightmares (Save the Children, 2015). Save the children did a new assessment finding that 75% of children are experiencing unusual bedwetting regularly, 89% percent of parents repot that their children suffer consistent feeling of fear and 70% of children worry about another war (Save the Children, 2015). Save the Children believes that the international community has big role to play in ensuring the welfare of children in Gaza (Save the Children, 2015). They feel all children deserve homes, schools and opportunities (Save the Children, 2015). Save the Children state “currently we are collectively denying these rights by our inaction”.

 This article was very eye opening to the idea that I have no idea what children of war have possibly gone through and the effects it has on their development. 

References:

Save the Children. (2015, July 6). Majority of children in Gaza’s hardest-hit areas showing signs of severe emotional distress a year on from deadly war. Save the Children press release. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=9241341&ct=14741311&notoc=1


Save the Children. (n.d.). Retrieved on July 11, 2015 from: http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.B143/Official_USA_Site.htm


Saturday, July 4, 2015

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resourcecs


To try and establish international professional contacts I have reached out to New Zealand and Iceland with interest to make a connection to learn more about the issues and trends surrounding early childhood education in their culture. While awaiting replies from these professional I explored the Global Fund for Children website.  The Global Fund for Children transform the lives of children on the edge of society who may be faced with harsh realities of having to work in markets, be trafficked into slavery, or become child soldiers (Global Fund for Children, n.d.). Since the start of the Global Fund for Children they have touched and been involved with 9 million children’s lives; their impact means thousands of those children are going to school instead of work (Global Fund for Children, n.d.).
            Save the Children invests in children in times of crisis and our future, in the U.S. and around the world. Save the Children provide children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm (Save the Children, n.d.). Save the Children released a news article talking about a new partnership with GSK and the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University to protect millions of children that are at risk natural or man-made disasters (Weinberg, 2015). The partnership will guide participating communities through a crisis simulation and help families develop a sustainable, child-focused action plan (Weinberg, 2015).
 All of these groups have a common purpose is to provide opportunities for children to live a safe and healthy life.

References:
Global Fund For Children. (n.d.). Retrieved on July 4, 2015 from:

Save the Children. (n.d.). Retrieved on July 4, 2015 from: http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.B143/Official_USA_Site.htm

T. Weinberg. (2015, June 11). New partnership to help communities protect and care for children impacted by disasters. Save the children press release. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=9241315&ct=14734983