Delegates validate first ECCE terminology directory |21 April 2014

The draft document of the first terminology directory in early childhood care and education was validated last Wednesday during a half-day workshop at the Institute of Early Childhood Development (IECD) head office, Le Chantier Mall.

The terminology directory consists of commonly used Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) terminologies and definitions in the local context in relation with the health, educational, social and community sectors.

The IECD has produced the terminology directory in collaboration with its partners – the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports.

“This project falls under the strategies and action plans to be implemented during the period 2013-2014. Furthermore, the aim of this directory is to ensure consistency and clarity in official ECCE documents and provide a reference guide to all professional, practitioners, care givers, parents and other partners,” said IECD chief executive Shirley Choppy.

“This project also features in the National Action Plan 2013-2014 launched in May 2013. It is an investment that the country should make for a sound economic development and it will pay sound dividends at the end of the day. One good thing is we have a strong political will to make it happen compared to other countries,” added Mrs Choppy.

During the workshop coordinated by Jane Larue, those who took part expressed the need to have such a document and also for it to have simple explanations.
“We should not forget that the directory is aimed for the common people in various sectors dealing with children and we should not use jargons as this will defeat our purpose. The idea is to make technical terms simpler and to send out clear messages,” said some delegates.

The work to put together such a document started last year with the setting up a committee comprising actors from the four ministries.
The early childhood directory is expected to be ready in four to six months’ time and will be distributed to all schools, care givers, child minders, social workers, religious organisations, non-governmental organisations, parents, policy makers and also the international partners such as the World Bank.

The following is an extract of some proposed definitions:  Child Abuse: Is repeated abuse or neglect of a child by parents or other adults resulting in injury or harm. Sometimes older children abuse younger ones. Abuse can be in different forms: 1. Physical Abuse – hitting, shaking, squeezing, burning, biting. It can include excessive force when feeding, changing or handling a child. 2.
 Emotional abuse – failing to show a child love, warmth and attention. Shouting, yelling, picking on a child. 3. Neglect – not providing adequate food, clothing, medical care. Leaving children who are too young to look after themselves alone. 4. Sexual Abuse –when someone forces or tricks a child into sexual contact or sexual touch. It can be in the form of rape, fondling, masturbation, oral sex, penetration, flashing, exposing children to pornographic videos, magazines etc.