ABSTRACT

Caregivers of young children play a significant role through a child's early childhood. External factorssuch as environment, socio-economic status, and support system, impact children’s early development experiences. This study explored how caregivers perceived their role in the early child development of 3–4-year-old children in an under-resourced community in KwaZulu-Natal. Purposive sampling was used to recruit eight caregivers via the crèche their child attended. Biographical questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Through thematic analysis, the findings highlight that child-rearing practices are influenced by the specific context of informal settlements, townships, and associated environments. The study further reveals how community members and structures assist them and their role in the child’s development. Ultimately, the findings indicate that caregivers require further information on several areas of age-appropriate development and the importance thereof. This study highlights the factors that can assist caregivers in facilitating positive developmental outcomes.

摘要

幼儿的看护人在儿童的幼儿时期发挥着重要作用。环境、社会经济地位和支持系统等外部因素会影响儿童的早期发展经历。本研究探讨了在夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省资源匮乏的社区中，看护者如何看待他们在 3-4 岁儿童早期发展中的作用。有目的的抽样被用来通过他们孩子就读的托儿所招募八名照顾者。使用传记问卷和半结构化访谈收集数据。通过主题分析，研究结果强调，育儿实践受到非正规住区、乡镇和相关环境的特定背景的影响。该研究进一步揭示了社区成员和结构如何帮助他们以及他们在儿童发展中的作用。最终，研究结果表明，看护者需要进一步了解与年龄相适应的发展的几个领域及其重要性。本研究强调了可以帮助照顾者促进积极发展成果的因素。