Category: Child

Abstract

How and why does Child Trafficking affects the US? Child Trafficking is defined as the transportation, transfer and harboring, of a child for the purpose of slavery and forced labor and also for the purpose of adoption. In this paper I am going to explain why Child Trafficking is a really big issue in the US, how it affects the population of the country and in detail by states, how this trafficking is executed, statistics, where are the “hot spots” in this trafficking, which is the most “popular” method in the US between slavery, forced labor, adoption or prostitution, also I am going to explain how a victim of trafficking can be identified, the effects that trafficking has on children and I will provide a method of solution for this issue.

Nearly 9,000 cases in the U.S. were reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline and BeFree Textline in 2017, which leads us to a 13% of increase since last year, if this continues in the same path, next year the number could go up to almost 10,500 cases of Human Trafficking which a significant part of them are children but this is only the reported, as we know most of the crimes are not reported or listed is estimated that 240,000 and 325,000 children are at risk for sexual exploitation each year in the US, and a big part of them are runaways. The US is on the ranking of one of the worst countries for Human Trafficking followed by Mexico and Philippines therefore inside the US the states on the highest ranking are California, New York and Texas. But how a victim of Child Trafficking can be identified, method of identification, there are many factors, these are some of the most important: Misses school on a regular basis and has unexplained absences.

Frequently runs away from home. Makes references to frequent travel to other cities or towns and exhibits bruises or other signs of physical trauma anxiety, or fear. Also how this affects a child, it can have a serious impact on a child’s mental and physical health, they can end up being traumatized for life or in the other hand they can be affected for sexual transmission diseases as VIH. Over all my paper is going to be an informative paper that will describe Child Trafficking issues, how it affects our country, which are the states on the top ranking, how this issue affects a child life, which are the consequences and what can we do as civilians to help preventing or reporting this crime.

Child Trafficking

The first point explained in this research paper, is the definition of child trafficking, human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purpose of labor, sexual exploitation, forced labor, removal of organs, or any modern form of slavery against the will and well-being of the human being. This crime is the third most serious, common and international crime. This crime involves the kidnapping, transfer or reception of human beings through threat, violence or other coercive mechanisms (Porto & Gardey, 2011). The US is one of the countries in the top ranking as a consequence 1 in 4 victims of Human Trafficking are children.

The first article written by Elżbieta M. Goździak related to human trafficking explains how there is not enough empirical research about this crime, it also analyses how due to this event victims are not adequately helped during the period after, “there are not evaluate rehabilitation programmes implemented to integrate survivors of human trafficking into the wider society and prevent repeat victimization” (Goździak, 2008). Analyzing the information found, we can see how human trafficking and in specific child trafficking research is centered on studies, anecdotal information but not empirical information. “Seventy seven percent of the 255 journal articles analyzed in the referenced project were based on non-empirical research” (Goździak, 2008). Therefore, this leads us to understand that there is no specific data and that this type of crime is very difficult to classify. The most recent event related to this crime is the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, an act created to fight against human trafficking, sexual trafficking and forced labor therefore also combats violence against women. The article also explains how child trafficking is so poorly analyzed that they submit it into the same category as women’s trafficking ignoring the special needs that children would need. Part of Child Trafficking is also caused by the desire to enter this country illegally, many parents or relatives pay traffickers to be able to introduce the children into the country and then use that situation to get into the country after them. ICE officers said they had arrested hundreds of people for trafficking with children, this numbers added to the events that we named before provoke the great sum of trafficking with humans. ICE officers also explained how some children reported that the smugglers raped them or kidnapped them to ask for more money. The smugglers have abandoned others while trying to cross the border.

This human trafficking practice is very common at the borders of the United States, many of the children crossed at the border are attracted with false hopes that when they would arrive in this country the conditions will be unbeatable, but they are also advised that they will have to return the money for which they are introduced by the border. Therefore this is how these traffickers get people to be indebted to them, when they arrive in this country, they are forced into labor, prostitution and other illegal events. But this crime not only affects people from other countries, human trafficking also affects children and youth from the United States, Americans under 18 are introduced to sex trafficking every day in this country, especially those young people who escape from home, sometimes trying to escape the nuisance that they live in their own homes. Domestic human trafficking is very common and affects a large part of this country.

Many episodes exist relating to this crime but a very prominent one was the episode in which 16 members of the United States Marine Corps, one of the elite services of the US armed forces, who on July 25 were arrested on charges of human trafficking, human trafficking drugs and transportation of undocumented Mexican immigrants. This shows how involved this business is and how it affects the country. The consequences of human trafficking in the United States since it is a federal crime punishable by imprisonment of 10 years to life imprisonment, also if the felon is a foreigner he would be deported.

Statistics of Child trafficking

This illegal and criminal business is a $32 billion-a-year industry, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports the percentage of child victims had rise in a 3 year period from 20% to 27 % (O’Conell, 2011). Every three child victims, two are girls and one is a boy therefore “The U.S. State Department has estimated that approximately 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked annually across international borders worldwide and approximately half of these victims are younger than age 18” (U.S. Department of State, 2005, 2006, 2007). It is estimated that 25 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking which 75 percent of them are women or children. According to Polaris, the leading anti-trafficking agency in the United States, hundreds of thousands of people are victims of this crime. In 2017, a total of 8,759 cases of human trafficking in the country were reported to the National Hotline for Trafficking in Persons (NHTH), which affected more than 10,000 victims, almost 5,000 offenders and 1,500 businesses. As the Department of Homeland security reports “Human trafficking victims have been found in communities nationwide in the agriculture, hospitality, restaurant, domestic work and other industries, as well as in prostitution that is facilitated online, on the street, or in businesses fronting for prostitution such as massage parlors”. The victims are men, women and children of all ages and may include U.S. citizens and foreign nationals involved into modern day slavery.

There are multiple cases of children trafficked, for example in New York, a child was trafficked with her mother by her husband and was in captivity for most of his life. Another boy was attracted with video games to a family that forced him to have sex with them and their friends. And another episode, a boy who escaped from the adoption center, was picked up from the street and offered a place to stay, in exchange for sex. Children and men constitute an “important part” of victims of human trafficking, both in the United States and internationally, according to a 2019 annual report of the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. But because they were ignored, ‘many men and boys do not identify as victims or request services,’ according to the report. Therefore this fact would be explained in the method section.

Method of Child Trafficking

In general, child trafficking takes place in two steps: action and exploitation (Spruce, 2017). Some of the method use in trafficking are abduction, sold by family, and recruitment through former slaves (Spruce, 2017). The worst type of child labor are usually slavery, debt, sexual exploitation, the use of children in drug trafficking as well as armed conflict. It is believed that tens of thousands of children in the country are sexually exploited every year. Every night, hundreds are sold in exchange for sex. Some experts are now referring to the sex trafficking of U.S. children and youths as “domestic minor sex trafficking,” (Kotrla, 2010). The FBI says that child sexual abuse has reached almost epidemic levels. As an example of crime we can find cases as scary as a woman explaining how her aunt bought her at the age of 14, “she gave my mom 900$, she told me she was going to take me shopping to the mall”.The aunt took her to drug dealers homes where she was raped and drugged. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case, thousand of children are sold in the same way by family members each year.

Another example as we explain before it would be people who suffer from hoaxes, are attracted to temporary work visas and then forced into servitude. And along the route, which is a long trip to the United States, smugglers exploit the children. They will say that if they do not pay extra money, or if they do not do this type of activities, some of which are sexual, some of them could be forced labor, they will kill their family at home. Ballard a special agent of National Security Investigations in the child trafficking unit, said that up to 10,000 children are trafficked to the United States each year to be used as sex slaves. More than 48,000 unaccompanied minors were arrested by the Border Patrol in 2018. Nearly half were from Guatemala and the rest from Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador (Cuthbertson 2019).

Although many may think that violations of children’s rights occur in poor countries and devastated by war, in the United States children also suffer from the deprivation of certain rights. The USA is the only nation in the world that has not ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Many of the children crossed by the border are forced to work in factories and specially in the agribusiness sector. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), children who work in agricultural fields are unprotected against the danger posed by the use of dangerous tools and machinery, as well as against many other hazards generated by plantation work (HRW, 2016). Data from the United States government shows that agriculture is the most dangerous industry for young workers. In 2012, more than 1,800 non-fatal injuries were reported in children under 18 and two-thirds of the children who died from work injuries were agricultural workers.

How to identify a victim of trafficking and the effects on a victim of trafficking

The articles used in this research are Evaluation of a Tool to Identify Child Sex Trafficking Victims in Multiple Healthcare Settings by Livings, Baikie and Brown (2018) and Psychological consequences of child trafficking: An historical cohort study of trafficked children in contact with secondary mental health services by Smith, Stahl and Oram (2018). The first article is a cross-sectional observational study involved patients from 16 sites throughout the U.S, that explains how health care deals with victims of child trafficking and how they identify if a child is being moved from one place to other or is obligated to prostitution or forced labor (Livings, Baikie & Brown, 2018).

The second article investigates the mental health and service use characteristics of trafficked children in contact with mental health services in England. Even this study was made in a different country the consequences in the US children are the similar as well. Fifty one trafficked children were identified, 78% were female, the most commonly recorded diagnoses for trafficked children were post-traumatic stress disorder a 22% and affective disorders a 22%. Records documented a high prevalence of physical violence a 53% and sexual violence a 49% among trafficked children (Ottisova et al. 2018). But which are the warning signs to identify a person who suffers from being trafficked? The first one we could immediately notice that a traveler carries few or no belongings. Victims could be worse dressed than their companions. They could wear clothes of an inappropriate size or inappropriate for the climate of the place where they will travel. The second one they have a tattoo with a barcode or the word “Daddy”, traffickers or pimps feel they own their victims, the third one, they do not know the details of their starting point, destination or flight information, some traffickers do not tell their victims where they are, where they are taken or what work they will give them, the fourth one, what they say seems planned or their story has inconsistencies, traffickers instruct victims to say certain things in public in order to avoid suspicion.

The fifth one, they cannot move freely through the airport or by plane; they are controlling them, watching closely or following, the sixth one, they are afraid to talk about themselves in front of other people and the seventh one, a child who is being trafficked for sexual exploitation could be dressed sexually or give the impression that he or she is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Therefore the next step analyzed in the paper are the effects of a child victim of trafficking; Depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress are just some of the sequels that people victim of trafficking have to suffer.

Post-traumatic stress; Threats, fear and pain caused by others are dramatic events that leave a mark on the victims, who often have recurring memories of this experience, anxiety attacks, irritability and difficulty recovering. According to the study, 38.9% suffer from this disorder. Depression; 61.2% survivors of trafficking in persons suffer from depression, many of them have attempted self-harm and the last one anxiety; Some people can suffer nervousness and episodes of terror, which is revealed on a day-to-day basis, this is the case of 42.8%.

Understanding Human Trafficking: A Modern-Day Slavery

“Slavery is not a horror safely confined to the past; it continues to exist throughout the world, even in developed countries… Across the world, slaves work and build and suffer.” (Kevin Bales). Human trafficking is a multi-billion production that kidnaps victims and forces them to do services against his or her will for benefits or profit. According to Mclaughlin, “The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, article defines human trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, using threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for exploitation. There are millions of women, men, and children at any age race or religion who become victims every year in sex trafficking. Statistics show, across the universe 40.3 million innocent people are being forced into trafficking. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. Even though human trafficking is growing rapidly globally, there are many ways that this act can be eliminated.

The Various Forms of Human Trafficking

Even though slavery exists in many forms, human trafficking is one form. While human trafficking has many types of trafficking such as forced labor, sex trafficking, and debt bondage. According to the Human Rights Commission, forced labor is when a person is to do work for little or no pay. For example, a Chinese man called this Latino woman for a job at one of his private owned jewelry stores. When she arrived, the owner forced her to make all the jewelry without paying her any money. Statistics show worldwide there are “21 million victims of human trafficking, and three out of every 1000 people forced to do jobs or trapped in workshops and they cannot leave.” (21 Million People Are Now Victims of Forced Labor 2012) Sex trafficking is when victims are compelled to do a sexual activity without his or her consent. Other studies show that children are prone to sex trafficking as well. There are “600,000 to 800,000 women, children and men bought and sold across international borders every year and exploited for forced labor or commercial sex (U.S. Government).” (States 2016) . For instance, a group of women aged 13 through 25 was brought into America from Europe and the dealers promised the women and girls that they will be full-time employees at a fast-food restaurant. Instead, when the women arrived at the job, they were held hostage while the traffickers held on to the money that they worked for. Debt bondage is when a person is coerced to do duties to pay off an obligation. For example, a Mexican man owes an African American man money, so the black man makes him work hard labor until all the money the man owes is paid off. If the man doesn’t pay off his debts the dealer threatens to kill his son. According to statistics victims of debt bondage range up to 8.1 million. All these methods of human trafficking are used for traffickers to catch their next victim. (Different Types of human trafficking) (Human Rights Commission).

Identifying Traffickers and Their Methods

Traffickers are people who transport, harbor or force victims to do acts against his or her will. As a matter of fact, traffickers can vary from solitary people, outlaws, pimps, people who are affiliated in gangs, family relatives, work specialists, entrepreneurs, and people who work in large workshops. Their goal is to misuse other people for a certain type of award. The victims are men, women, and children of any age, gender, religion, and culture. Although traffickers will exploit any individual, they tend to seek people who spark higher weaknesses to exploitation. In this case, children and adults who have run away from home and have experienced some form of maltreatment, or social segregation is singled out by dealers and have higher risks to become victims. Also, people who are lost and don’t know their way around a new place can be taken advantage of by dealers. Traffickers lure in victims by being deceitful, using emotional and physical abuse, and other types of intimidation to hold adults and children hostage so they can perform sexual acts without their consent. There are multiple lies that traffickers might tell victims that they will receive. Some examples are telling victims that they will receive a well-paying employment, a love affair, and many other things the victims cherish to do in life. Studies show that women and girls become the most prone to human trafficking. Then again, other studies show that men are the ones who are doing the most trafficking. The effects on victims when they are lured in sex trafficking can vary from a person being starved or not feed the proper foods, exposure to sexually transmitted to diseases, don’t receive any personal hygiene. Victims have no other choice but to deal with these health complications. Some traffickers might keep victims behind locked doors. Many victims try to escape but they are scared that they will be killed or tortured by the dealer. “Trafficked persons also suffer from negative psychological and social effects. Issues such as trauma, anxiety, post-traumatic stress depression (PTSD), shame and depression are common results of trafficking.” (quoted in 7 Facts you didn’t know about human trafficking) This quote means that victims are grieving from different types of mental disorders and socioeconomic factors. (The Victims and traffickers 2016) (How to identify the Victims 2014) (Frequently Asked Question).

Global Reach and Transportation Methods of Human Trafficking

Human trafficking in all regions with no limitation. “According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), human trafficking victims representing 169 different nationalities were identified in 172 countries worldwide.” (Trafficking Routes). Traffickers use all types of transportation to transfer their victims to designated areas, but other traffickers use no transportation at all to access their targets. Some examples of transportations are buses, trains, trucks, airplanes, uber, lyft, and taxis. Truck drivers mostly signal women and girls for sexual activity. They signal their targets by flicking their headlights, and they speak in code over their speakers to ask victims if they want a free ride. Most of these truck drivers give these women and girls rides for exchanges of sex, or they might pay a small fee. Also, when traffickers target buses and train stations this is because most likely these people are vulnerable. In most cases at the transport stations, there are people are who are homeless or are trying to get away from their current situation that’s why they fall into the category of most vulnerable. Dealers tend to ease their way in by being friendly to these victims. The traffickers move very smoothly to prevent contact with law enforcement. When traffickers use airplanes most likely they are trying to transport their victims from origin to transit countries. Origin countries are where a person comes from, and traffickers take them away from their homeland transport them somewhere else. Transit countries are foreign countries and used for traffickers when they make detours for their victims. “These countries receive trafficking victims and are generally more economically prosperous than origin countries. According to statistics in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime “North Africa, over 80% of detected trafficking victims were trafficked domestically.” Another statistics shows that “Eastern Europe and Central Asia, 100% of detected trafficking victims were trafficked within the same subregion, a statistic closely followed by South Asia (99%), Sub-Saharan Africa (99%), East Asia and the Pacific (97%), and South America (93%).” These statistics show that human trafficking occurs in any country. Traffickers target buses station because this is where the most vulnerable people are located. In some situations, victims are unaware that they will be pulled into human trafficking because of what the traffickers put on a front of what they are going to do for the victim. A lot of women and girls are scared to call law enforcement because they are afraid that they will get charged with prostitution or they will get killed by the trafficker. (Transportation industry 2018) (Katie 2017) (Dressember 2019).

Conclusion: Recognizing and Combating Human Trafficking

In conclusion, millions of victims are being trafficked right in front of our eyes and we don’t even recognize it. It may be hard to acknowledge these signs because people in these situations appear to be normal or they are not brave enough to say anything. Traffickers want to stay private about their actions so they can continue to make a profit off of these individuals. There are many signs to recognize when a person is being trafficked. The warning signs are people who have experienced any form of maltreatment, individuals who gang-affiliated, people who have been forced to get a symbol of a new tattoo, people who don’t have excess to their identification documents, and people who have mates way y older than them. Even though there are many signs of human trafficking, there are also ways we can protect ourselves from suspects. Being conscious of your surroundings at all times, being aware of what information you put out on social sites, try to avert being alone at any time of the day, and act quickly if harm is suspected are some ways of protection. If you feel or suspect any victim of being trafficked, please speak up and call the national human trafficking hotline 1-888-373-7888. Having an awareness of this act and using prevent is very important because it can bring a stop to human trafficking. Some solutions to human trafficking are donating to survivors to help them get back in stable situations and volunteering to fight against this cruel act. These tips can help prevent this issue from happening and keep individuals safe. (15 Ways You Cn Help Hight Human trafficking) (Recognize the Signs 2018).

Hans Christian Andersen said “When words fail, music speaks”. Our world is full of choices. Parents world-wide are bombarded with these choices to help their child in the best way they can with the current information available, but despite our efforts the National Center for PTSD still reports about seven or eight out of every 100 people will likely have an encounter with Post-Traumatic-Stress at some point in their lives. (“Post-Traumatic”) While many seek out psychotherapy if symptoms persist long enough, other parents will choose the medication route for their children. When you’re a child, you depend upon your parents to take care of you. Are you going to question them if they tell you to take medicine that is supposed to make you feel better? I think not. Both sides, psychotherapy and medications, give reasons for effectiveness; however, the everyday parent can see the impending issues with going straight to medication without investigating other courses of treatment that are less harmful to a child. The trouble is, these types of medications have side effects with lasting properties attached to them. I propose an alternative. A refreshing and nontraditional concept known as Music Therapy, in which the child or adolescent can reduce their amount of anxiety with the use of musical instruments, singing, or playing on their own (137). Hanser reasons “that music therapy can help almost anyone willing to try it, since there are no obvious side effects, and it can be facilitated individually or in groups” (Eriksson 249). Although medications are a faster means to feel better, there are more effective treatments with less negative side effects in the long run using an alternative therapy method.

At the present time, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD as it is referred to, is known as and treated as an anxiety disorder, based on the DSM IV ( Pervanidou 632). In the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, a staggering 20% of children and teens are affected with mental health concerns (World Health Organization, 2001). Anxiety in children can display in a number of ways. However, for a PTSD diagnosis, the mired of symptoms arrive after some sort of traumatic life incident that usually includes but is not limited to death or injury that causes a debilitating amount of fear or powerlessness in the child, a catastrophic community disaster, or wartime situations. Additionally, these symptoms must also still be present at least four weeks after the event has occurred (632). Harvard Mental Health Letter states that they “have found that 40 percent of maltreated children are still suffering a year after they were first diagnosed” (“What are the Symptoms”).

When a child presents with this criteria, doctors will routinely encourage and prescribe sessions with a psychiatrist with the accompaniment of doses of an anti-depressant medication. Drugs such as Doxepin, has a seemingly long list of side effects for children and young adults. Much research is focused on the adult population while citing these results but the implication is the use of these medications run risks of adverse effects on the younger aged people (Porter, Sam 587). Also noted that “children, teenagers, and young adults who take antidepressants to treat depression or other mental illnesses may be more likely to become suicidal than those who do not take them to treat these conditions” (Doxepin 1). According to the Harvard Mental Health Letter “No medicine has proven consistently effective in controlled studies” (“What are the Symptoms” 8). While it is often believed medication will help almost immediately, that choice alone is not a complete picture of well-rounded mental healthcare. When used in conjunction with psychotherapy, medications serve as a less effort approach to feeling better. However, there can be numerous pharmacy visits to contend with as well as limited refills on the medication itself, which can hinder the recovery process if taking off work is an issue for the parent or remembering to call in the script ahead of time so that it is ready for pick up.

When music therapy is on the table for options to use with psychotherapy, it supplements what is happening in the talk therapy sessions with no side effects. Music therapy is based on the relationship with a professional in the field who has completed the required credentials. Known as a Music Therapist, they employ music as an intervention adapted for specific goals for the child whom has been affected by a trauma and their families. “Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in many areas such as: overall physical rehabilitation and facilitating movement, increasing people’s motivation to become engaged in their treatment, providing emotional support for clients and their families, and providing an outlet for expression of feelings” (Search “music therapy”). The American Music Therapy Association discloses a list of wonderful ways that music complements a healing environment, naming examples of patients listening to favorite songs, a pianist in the reception area, or nurses willing to play background music for patients. While this list builds up the aid of music with patients, it simply confirms that these approaches are for musical entertainment rather than therapy (“music therapy”).

For centuries, music has offered its benefits to people of all ages. Used at the fanciest of dinners with Kings and Queens, all the way down to the most intimate moments of a new mother with her baby, music has the ability to speak to hearts and lift spirits. So, it stands to reason that something this grand would be included into the medical realm as a viable treatment option.

Music therapy compliments psychotherapy beautifully. While a patient is struggling with the talking side of their healing process, the range of options that music therapy offers are as numerous as the individuals it serves to treat. Patients who are not able to communicate what they are feelings internally can choose to be “vocal” with instruments of their choice or compose a song with lyrics to speak for them (139; ”Music Therapy and other”).

With a trusted guide known as the music therapist, a child has freedoms to explore new ways of handling their trauma. According to John Stegemann, the patients’ experience will be broken down into four strategies with the intent of being used separately or in a combination for the child’s success. Strategy Improvisation employs the child’s spontaneity using or seeing various types of instruments such as a piano, drums or symbols, and stringed choices. The patient can play alongside the therapist or have their sounds mimicked back to them. Composition offers songwriting or rhythm sessions for expression. This strategy is helpful for identifying the internal struggle as well as being an avenue for creative release for the individual. Re-creating approaches are opportunities to learn an already favorite song in a personalized manner. Listening or receptive goals are to promote relaxation or responses while hearing the music being played live or recorded (qtd. in Music Therapy). Each tactic has a purpose, but since there is not a one-size-fits all mode for therapeutic approaches, it is important that the patient connects with their therapist so treatment can be specific yet individualized to ensure accomplishment of the patients goals.

Often a plea for music therapy comes when other attempted solutions were not successful or the patient is dissatisfied with the side effects (Eriksson 250). When this negative perception is the entrance area for the patient into music therapy, it stresses the importance of development within the music therapist relationship and the child. A music therapist is not a music teacher. In order to assume the title of music therapist, one must be well educated from an accredited university attaining a bachelor’s degree at a minimum, with a “1200 hour requirement of clinical training, as well as a supervised internship”. Once this is achieved, the American Music Therapy Association explains that the scholar is then eligible to take the Music Therapist Board Certification exam, another requirement for admissibility in practicing. (Search “Music Therapy”).

A music therapist observes, investigates, develops, validates, and supplements the needs of the patient through countless nontraditional yet nonthreatening avenues. From these factors, it is imperative that a meeting take place in person from the beginning. Then, depending on the capabilities and needs of the patient, a music therapist chooses to employ options such as individual or group sessions. For example, if an individual is anxious or fretful, then a positive plan would look like a drumming or tambourine session, either as an individual or in a group therapy setting. This serves as a direct means to let expression flow, get the internal tension out and allows positive interaction with others if in a social setting. Each session can either be led by the child or the professional. Trained music therapists also see the possible value of working with other healthcare professionals to provide well rounded treatment for the diagnosis. Even if two people are going through the same thing, the job of the therapist is to strategically devise a workable plan to meet the needs of the individual. (Search “Peterson Family Foundation”)

Simply put, music therapy has a place in medical settings as a therapy. In a study done with the Department of Psychology of California State University, they observed 60 children in a hospital setting who were offered choices of play therapy and music therapy (Hendon 141). The mode to show effectiveness was to count the number of smiles in 3 minutes. Smiling is considered a universal way to communicate overall wellbeing. The play therapy room offered everyday childhood choices of activities to do such as crafts, books and toys. Children could remain in this setting as long as they wished. The music therapy room provided some instrument choices and a music therapist leading songs while strumming her guitar. Children were allowed to stay in this setting 45 minutes to an hour. When the hospitalized children in this case were studied for the therapy’s effect on their mood, it was noted that the children who were in music therapy smiled more often than those who went to play therapy (Hendon 143). From this we infer that music therapy had a positive effect on their moods. I believe this approach works. In another controlled study, children ages eight to twelve all diagnosed with differing anxiety disorders were also found to have post-treatment success rate that was 67 percent higher than anticipated after individual and group therapy sessions with methods that were chosen by the music therapist (“Randomized Control”).

Given the multitude of choices parents of children with PTSD face today, it is clear that these patients need intervention of a creative mode not just the traditional route of psychotherapy and medications. Continuing to shove parents in the same direction generation after generation is a disservice. We can avoid this repetitive cycle by educating them about alternative therapies that still correlate with psychotherapy but provide stronger benefits and no ill side effects for their children.

Many societies throughout our history traded money, goods , or services for sex.This isn’t anything different today. Sex is seen whether it is in movies, music, television shows, and social media.The me too movement shows how many women and children were sexually abused by many celebrities and were not given justice. Often, these victims are not taking seriously and people getting accused get away with little to no jail time but this isn’t new.

Today 21 million men, women, and children worldwide is trapped in human trafficking including all forms of trafficking according to Tonnessen, author of Historic Slave Trade and Present Day Human Trafficking in Africa .That number steady increases every year and it’s not going away anytime soon. Many men, women , and children are constantly traded from all the world just so traffickers along with countries profit millions of dollars off sex tourism. At least 4.8 million victims are stuck in sex slavery according to the polaris project in 2017 and 25% of them are children. They try to justify having sexual relations with young girls and boys since they have their “virginity” and it could possibly prevent them from getting stds like HIV according to the nonprofit organization,Humanium.

Historically, prostitution was allowed as an occupation and many societies had them classified into different classes.Young children were also used as sexual objects in civilizations going all the way back to the Greeks and Romans in which they have young girls and boys perform sexual acts in brothels for entertainment.In ancient rome, boy brothels were very popular among their citizens.Michel Dorais in Rent Boys : The World of Male Sex Trade Workers” states, “Other child prostitutes on the streets would lift up their tunics to show their genitals to get clients. Roman emperors like Augustus and Caligula have attempted to pass laws to limit prostitution but it still was legal.

This idea continues to many kings who tried to ban prostitution but they put the blame on the victims instead of the men who were doing the crime. In the early first century, Visigoth King of Spain banned prostitution and offered no punishment for men who hired or exploited prostitutes found by tom head author of world history 101. Women found guilty of selling sexual favors were punished by being whipped 300 times and exiled from the country, basically giving them a death sentence.The catholic church itself had many scandals dating back to the 11th century with higher members of clergy sexually abusing mostly younger boys but some girls and ignoring the victims.Prostitution was widely accepted no matter what consequences were put out. It was common for major towns and villages to have brothels.Many young males and females would become prostitutes as a way to survive since there wasn’t a lot of work to do other than begging or thieving using public baths to gain clients.Majority of the kings regulated these brothels.King Henry II of england in 1160 mandated that prostitutes must be single and ordered weekly inspections of London’s infamous brothels to ensure that other laws were not being broken(tom head).In Italy during the 1300s, prostitution was embraced by the government. The Great Council of Venice had government run brothels that were built in major italian cities during the 14th and 15th century.

During the 1800s , the anti-prostitution movement become popular.The earliest part of the movement, the main focus in Europe where white women and children were the main victims of sexual exploitation.Hence the name “white slave trade” was used during this time since all the other groups excluding whites were not included in the anti-prostitution movement. Josephine Butler started it in England in 1828.The goal was to repeal the Contagious Disease Acts. It required prostitutes to be registered and periodically examined for STDs. If a woman was determined to be infected, she could be held until she was deemed to be“clean” according to Hughes.Antibiotics not sterile equipment weren’t developed yet so many of the women were abused and injured during the exams.The police overused their power and label a person who they thought “prostitutes”.They were forced to register as a prostitute whether they were or not and examined causing the woman’s status to be lowered.The contagious disease act was abolished in 1883 accomplishing their goal.

As time progressed into the 20th century,more anti-prostitution laws came into place.By 1904, the movement was able to get all the kings and queens of Europe to sign an agreement to suppress “white slave Traffic” which made them agree to stopping the traffic women and girls in their home countries another d colonies. In 1910, 13 countries created and signed the International Convention for the Suppression of the White Slave Traffic.The convention stated: “Whoever, in order to gratify the passions of another person, has procured, enticed, or led away, even with her consent, a woman or girl under age, for immoral purposes, shall be punished.”(hughes).More progress was made when the UN in 1949 created the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others. In this, they defined what is free and forced trade, emphasized that “traffic” is to be prohibited, even if the woman consents to the exploitation, and that all countries that ratified the agreement to prohibit the legalization of prostitution.Many countries tried to make prostitution legal by this act prohibited them from doing so. The women’s movement in the 1960s brought more attention to the cause when they also focused on stopping all commercial use of women and girls in prostitution and the production of pornography.

Today, this laws are now focusing on punishing the traffickers instead the victims. For example, sweden in 1990 started punishing criminals dealing with prostitution cases and worked on rehabilitating the victims with programs dedicated to moving them into different work. Others followed in the 2000s confronting sex trafficking head on. The US passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act which defined sex trafficking as a criminal act when a minor is used for a commercial sex act or force, while fraud or coercion is used to compel an adult to perform a commercial sex act(Chaung). in 2003, Congress approved the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act which offered protection to the victims.Even in February 2016, Congress enacted legislation referred to as the International Megan’s Law requiring registered sex offenders to carry passports with “unique identifiers” and U.S. agencies to notify foreign governments when registered sex offenders are visiting their countries according to Seekle.

Those are examples of laws that have been implemented in other countries today have helped many women and child victims stuck in sex trafficking but not enough are implementing them to protect these victims especially the children.Many countries today still don’t have stricter laws and easier punishments of people trafficking these victims since trafficking is hard to track since it involves many other countries excluding the host country. Human trafficking can’t be stopped overnight but implementing stricter laws punishing people trafficking children would lower the number of children.

Works Cited

1. “Child Prostitution.” Humanium • We Make Children’s Rights Happen, www.humanium.org/en/child-prostitution/.
2. Dorais, Michel, and Peter Feldstein. Rent Boys : The World of Male Sex Trade Workers. MQUP, 2005. EBSCOhost, proxygsu-sfay.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=404842&site=eds-live&scope=site.
3. Head, Tom, and ACLU. “Prostitution Isn’t Quite the World’s Oldest Profession — But It’s Close.” Thoughtco., Dotdash, www.thoughtco.com/history-of-prostitution-721311.
4. Hughes, Donna.“Combating Sex Trafficking: A History.” Fair Observer, Fair Observer, 8 May 2014, www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/combating-sex-trafficking-history/.
5. Janie A. Chuang. “EXPLOITATION CREEP AND THE UNMAKING OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING LAW.” The American Journal of International Law, vol. 108, no. 4, 2014, pp. 609–649. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.5305/amerjintelaw.108.4.0609.
6. Tønnessen, anne martine Havnen. Historic Slave Trade and Present Day Human Trafficking in Africa. UNIVERSITY OF OSLO, Nov. 2016, www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/53911/Final-Master.pdf?sequence=5.

Usually, in the issue of vaccination, we usually talk about the immunisations which are given to the children and with the consent of their parents. The parents are the main aspect in the life of a child and all that is related to their child’s life even the child’s inoculation. To resolve the issue of anti-vaccination or vaccine hesitancy among Malaysian parents, there must be a way to communicate with the parents about the importance of vaccination.

As stated earlier, one major contributing factor to vaccine hesitancy is parents’ misconception and their concerns about the side effects of vaccines. The government plays an important role in order to overcome this problem by introducing and exposing the parents about vaccination process. It can be done in many ways such as campaigns and talks about immunisation. These parents need to know that by letting their children unvaccinated, the consequences of it are higher than the side effects. They may lose their children if the vaccine-preventable diseases attack their unvaccinated children as we can see happened in the case of diphtheria where two of the children died because both of them were not vaccinated.

Other than that, they also need to know that the statistics for their children to suffer the side effects of vaccination are very rare and until now there is no experiments or studies conducted that can link vaccination to autism. It is common for the parents to find the best way to protect their children and by informing them about the process of vaccination, they can evaluate the benefits of vaccination towards their children and the effects if they do not immunise their children with it. Studies have shown that by improving the parent’s knowledge regarding vaccines, this will improve immunisation status and affects the success of immunisation programme (Awadh et al., 2014).

On top of that, some of the parents in Malaysia stated that the vaccines consist of prohibited substances such as the pig’s DNA and this is one of the reasons for them to avoid their children from getting vaccinated. The government especially the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) needs to plan an initiative to explain to the public especially Muslim individuals and parents that the vaccinations are allowed to use even though some of them might contain prohibited ingredients because these vaccines can save the lives of their children and others. As stated by the Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia president, Datuk Dr Abdul Abdul Rahim Mohamad, vaccines work as preventive measures which are recognised and practiced by thousands of Muslim doctors who were experts, reliable and trustworthy around the globe. He continued his statement by saying that, “It is shallow thinking to consider this group of professionals is influenced by conspiracies of the enemies of Islam or that they are unaware of the halal or haram status of the vaccines when they give them to their patients.” (Malay Mail Online, 2016).

Moreover, the government should enforce the law by mandating some of the vaccines to be taken before they are admitted to schools which can protect the children from the fatal diseases such as diphtheria and measles. For now, there is still no law that mandates the parents to provide immunisations for their children before they are admitted to schools which can be said that some of the parents might get their children’s lives on risks in their early childhood. We all know that at the age of two years old and above, the children do not receive any more vaccinations from their mothers which make them vulnerable to be infected with these fatal diseases. This issue had been discussed a lot of time by the government but usually end up with resistance by many parties such as the people in Malaysia itself (The Star Online, 2019). For now, the doctors in Malaysia are urging the government to mandate two important vaccines for infants which are diphtheria and measles vaccines due to the implications which can be caused by these illnesses. Moreover, the government also provides free vaccines for Malaysian people to encourage them to receive the vaccinations and promotes better health among Malaysians.

This is my first time that I get an individual assignment which I was told to complete for 12 to 15 pages. I was shocked actually and I thought that it was impossible for me to complete this assignment. Commonly, assignment like this was done in groups and I am used to write long-written report when I was furthering my study in foundation of science at UiTM Dengkil with my group which made me felt a bit burdened with this assignment and realized that my time in UTM will be hectic. To add to this nonsense, I also found out that I need to prepare power point slides which summarize my written assignment. Well, this make me feel more stressed out when I know this in the first week, I was in UTM.

When I was told to choose my current issue, I was thinking about two issues which were anti-vaccination and gaming disorder. At first, I chose anti-vaccination because I love to find out about this issue and to learn more about it. Then, I changed my mind that I want to do gaming disorder due to insufficient information and materials for anti-vaccination. I did not know how gaming disorder issue can come to my mind but I thought maybe due to the reading I had done during the holiday while I waited to continue my study in UTM. I read a book about cyberpsychology which gave me the insights of how a cyber forensic psychologist do her works and in that book, I learned about gaming disorder and other things that related to psychology and cyber. Lastly, I changed my topic again to anti-vaccination because I was so interested in anti-vaccination issue and I made up my mind that no matter what, I wanted to do the assignment on this issue.

Then, my journey began. I did a lot of searching for articles, newspapers and academic text reference that related to my topic. To be honest, it felt like forever since the last day I wrote anything that is long and needs a lot of reading. I used to help my mother as a research assistant and I knew the things that I needed to do. I already knew where to find my articles but it was still difficult for me to start writing about it. Then, this one fine day, I decided that I need to start typing the letters on my keyboard to produce the words for my sentences on this issue. From there, I started to do what I was supposed to do and I started analysing all the information that I got from the articles and the newspapers.

In the first week, I already involved in many activities outside the classroom. I joined a bicycle tour, sharing programmes and I was already involved with a club. Week by week, I got busier because I love to join a lot of programmes such as mandarin class and I have my own responsibilities towards my clubs. Besides, I also work part-time in online business and there were moments which I needed to use my time to promote the products that I sold on my social media accounts. I will not lie that these commitments had interfered my time to finish this assignment because there were times that I needed to go out for meetings and activities related to them. Even though these made my life a bit chaotic but I knew that all of these help me to learn ways to spend my time wisely and organize it accordingly. This had brought my memory to one of the lectures for this subject which discussed the topic of adaptability. In this class, we learned that we need to adapt with our surrounding to be comfortable with it. Thus, this class had taught me that I need to learn how to adapt with my current situations.

Furthermore, I had gained new knowledge by writing this assignment. I understand more about anti-vaccination, how it was started, what is the effect of it and so much more. Next, I also learn to analyse and synthesize the information that I got from my reading which I incorporated in this individual assignment. On the other hand, I also learned to organize my findings so I will not get confused with all the information that I got. I hope that the knowledge that I have got by doing this assignment will help me to do better in future assignment and work that I will get.

In conclusion, anti-vaccination is a rising problem for the whole world especially in Malaysia. It can be seen now that this issue is becoming a problem that needs to be eliminated in Malaysia based on the rising statistics of vaccine-preventable diseases and the comeback of eliminated diseases in Malaysia such as tuberculosis (TB) which has resurface in Malaysia recently (Malay Mail Online, 2019). In this year alone, we can see that the number of cases related to vaccine-preventable diseases in Malaysia have risen tremendously and all of us should start to play our roles to understand the process of vaccination. I hope that all of us will have the curiosity and the determination to understand more about vaccination to avoid us from ruining the lives of our children and our next generations. Moreover, we need to be more concerned with the information we got and not to be someone who does not investigates everything that he or she has listens or reads. Lastly, we need to remember that prevention is better than cure.

Anti-vaccination is a serious thing to enforce about. You got religious people or crazy moms that don’t want to vaccinate their own child because they fear of that kid getting autism. Even though there are no proven facts about it. If there is a kid that has autism, it is from generic or drugs. By making laws to enforce vaccination, there will be least dangerous diseases like the measles and the pertussis (just to name a few).

If you are not vaccinated, your child will not be able to go to any level of education. If the child is not vaccinated, it will spread the diseases around. February 11, 2013 there was 125 measles cases in California. So many people and kids were not vaccinated. Not only can extinct diseases make you very ill, they can also cause death. A patient was hospitalized from getting the measles in California. 0.7% of children 19-35 were not vaccinated. Causing kids not to go to any level of education can save other children from being victimized.

The ones that can enforce the law(s) are congress, US senate, and maybe the government. If the child is not vaccinated, the parents should be arrested for child endangerment. It is causing child endangerment by not vaccinated him making that child vulnerable to everything that is around that child. If the parent(s) do not want to vaccinate the child, child protective services should take away the child from the guardian. Or keep the child in a quarantine till he or she is vaccinated. A quarantine is a state, period or place of isolation in which people or animals that have arrived from elsewhere or been exposed to infectious or contagious disease are placed.

There will be no more diseases. Diseases that have been extinct for along like the measles, pertussis, and other dangerous deadly diseases will not come back ever again. The measles came back in 2013. The year 2017, it had dramatically spiked up. If vaccinated, the children will be able to have a normal regular life with no deadly diseases. Being able to reach adulthood. Only 35% of world children are vaccinated. That’s a small percentage. That means children are not getting vaccinated that much anymore due to religious reason.

If the children are vaccinated, that means lives will be saved. No deaths from children or young adults will happen. Vaccination prevents 10 million deaths a year. If laws are enforced, there will be least diseases. Many young diseases can be protected in the future. For kids that will grow up to be next generation of doctors, firefighters, policeman, army veterans, anything in this world.

If we as nation enforce laws to vaccinate at a certain age, there will be least death and old extinct disease can disappear once more. We as a nation need to think about the next generations that are coming up and their next ones after that. So, on and so on.

The teaching staff of an early childhood program determines its quality and guides the experiences of the children in its care. High quality staff are effectively able to address the social, emotional, and cognitive developmental needs of the child, which is essential in any early childhood program. In effect, these teachers lay the “foundation for children’s future success.” (Freeman, Decker, & Decker, 2017) While the benefits of quality early childhood educators are numerous, they do not often receive the recognition or support they deserve.

According to Hylton and Vu (2019), “high turnover has plagued the profession since its beginnings.” They found the following factors to be strong contributors to whether or not early childhood teachers remain in their position: low compensation, lack of benefits, administrative support, satisfaction with co-workers, and perceived value. Jaruszewics and White (2009) claim that the issue of retaining high-quality staff is “frequently linked to compensation, external accountability demands, isolation, perceived lack of support, and stress.” Freeman, Decker, and Decker (2017) further support this idea. They describe a recent increase in appreciation for the significance of the early years which has created an increase in the demand for quality early childhood educators. However, this demand has not been matched by an increase in pay, benefits, or support for these educators. In addition, this demand has created a range of fast-track options for teacher education that may be inadequate. This has worsened the already high turnover rate by producing teachers that are ill-prepared to enter a complex, demanding field.

With all of this in mind, it becomes clear that the responsibility of staff retention lies almost entirely in the hands of the director of an early childhood program. The aim of this paper is to explore effective strategies for directors to utilize to best support their teaching staff in such a way that makes them want to keep their position. After conducting research, I have found four major goals that a director can work toward which positively impact staff retention. They must communicate effectively; enhance staff knowledge and skills; create a positive working environment; and make staff feel valued, respected, and appreciated. These goals will be explained in greater detail below.

I. Effective Communication

Just as in any leadership position, an early childhood director must be effective communicator. They should be trustworthy, respectful, and considerate at all times. They must listen actively, and prompt further thought and discussion by asking thoughtful questions and following up later on (Jaruszewics & White, 2009). They ought to be flexible in order to meet the needs of their teachers. This could mean flexibility in terms of classroom planning, activities, arrangement, or management styles. As with students, each teacher has individual abilities, strengths, needs, preferences, and teaching styles. Directors should work with teachers to best utilize these, while still meeting the goals of the program. They should also work to support their employees’ work-home balance, which can largely be achieved by being flexible in terms of scheduling. (Hylton & Vu, 2019)

Whenever communicating, whether it be with staff, family members, or other stakeholders, directors should respond honestly and directly while remaining sensitive and respectful to the individual and their situation. With this director, everyone should feel comfortable and confident in seeking their advice and coming to them with questions. Directors should also promote communication among all of those involved in their program, and implement policies that strengthen the home-to-school connection. (Wilson, 2006) This connection benefits not only the children and their families, but teachers as well. Communication between educators and families allows teachers to broaden their perspective and possibly even to reconsider some of their teaching methods and strategies, which leads to professional growth (Jaruszewics & White, 2009).

II. Enhance Staff Knowledge & Skills

Another common factor in staff retention relies on a director’s ability to enhance the knowledge and skills of their staff (Freeman, Decker, & Decker, 2017). This includes regularly providing constructive feedback for staff, whether it be informally or during a scheduled review. Regular individual conferences provide teachers with an outlet for frustration. They also allow the director to show their staff that they are each valued, and deserving of their time. (Wilson, 2006) Classroom visits also provide excellent opportunities for directors to provide staff with feedback. They should take these opportunities to highlight observations of effective practice & describe their importance. This will help to builds self-awareness, and teachers will be better able to repeat these effective practices (Jablon & Dombro, 2015).

Whatever the setting, feedback should always utilize a strength-based perspective is required. Directors should recognize and appreciate the competence and abilities of their employees. “Focusing on strengths promotes trust and stronger relationships.” (Jablon & Dombro, 2015) Not only does constructive feedback provide an opportunity to promote staff development, it has the potential to positively contribute to a trusting working relationship between the director and teachers.

The enhancement of staff knowledge and skills should also include encouragement and support from the director in helping staff find professional development opportunities. Jaruszewics and White (2009) explain that directors should view professional development as a long-term investment, and that they should seek high-quality learning opportunities that support staff needs. While this may be time consuming and tedious, it has the ability to yield significant benefits for teachers and students.

Barnes, Hadley, & Cheeseman (2019) conducted a study in which they surveyed directors and teachers regarding who the leaders in early childhood education are, and how they “lead the development and implementation of educational programs”. Mentoring staff and supporting their professional development was rated as one of the most important practices by the majority of respondents. Specific practices included helping staff develop and arrange training, mentoring staff decisions, and reviewing performance regularly. All of these significantly contribute to the development of staff knowledge and skills, and motivate staff to remain in the profession.

Kimberly Moore (2001) further describes the importance of a director being an effective coach and mentor to their staff. She explains that teachers who receive minimal or no mentoring leave the field as a faster rate than their counterparts, and that effective mentoring has the potential to “[cut] the dropout rate as much as 35%”. Effective mentoring helps new teachers reflect on their experiences and handle the emotional aspect of teaching. It helps them become more objective while remaining supportive and caring. In the end, it can support them to “teach in more relaxed, innovative, and developmentally appropriate ways.” (Moore, 2001)

A significant part of being an effective mentor focuses on intentional modeling. Staff look to the director as a role model for behaviors, attitudes, and skills (Jaruszewics & White, 2009). The director must model positive attitudes and behaviors. They should be optimistic and professional (Wilson, 2006). They should show a willingness to go above and beyond; display intellectual curiosity and risk-taking; and demonstrate openness and respect for all stakeholders (Jablon & Dombro, 2015). Over time and with consistency, these behaviors and outlooks will rub off on teaching staff. During classroom observations, directors should support teachers in observing children, reflecting on their knowledge, skills, and dispositions. They should utilize these opportunities to show teachers how to use these things to stimulate growth, which will in turn promote development in their own teaching abilities. (Moore, 2001)

III. Create a Positive Working Environment

The third factor that is quite common in regards to staff retention is based on creating a positive working environment. A positive environment is relaxed, featuring open communication that is often spontaneous and/or humorous. In this environment, teachers are actively aware that children are central focus. In a negative environment, children are loud and overactive, and teachers are strained and stressed. (Wilson, 2006) For these reasons, it is of the upmost importance for directors to create an environment that teachers are happy and motivated to work in.

In creating a positive working environment, the director ought to facilitate a sense of community. They should model and support open communication in which everyone conveys respect and appreciation. (Hylton & Vu, 2019) A major part of determining a working environment relies on satisfaction with co-workers. As Hylton and Vu (2019) explain, “People don’t leave jobs; people leave people.” In order to hold on to quality teachers, directors must cultivate positive working relationships with and among staff. They should build on individual strengths, and provide opportunities for staff to use their skills to support co-workers. One way of doing this might be to pair teachers with specific strengths with others who seek support in that area (Moore, 2001). This will help the less experienced to develop their skills, and the more experienced to gain recognition and appreciation. Directors could also encourage staff to share their experiences, whether they be professional development, work-related, etc. They should share these experiences with each other, supporting an environment in which “intellectual dialogue about their goals and aspirations infuses their work” (Jaruszewics & White, 2009). In this community, everyone values the collective wisdom of the group, and each member is a resource.

Of course, as in any occupation, there will always be conflict. Teachers will not always agree on how to achieve a particular goal, or address a particular issue. It is important that the director always help staff work through conflict, no matter how minor, in order to avoid building resentment. The expectation should be that everyone must work together. As Hylton and Vu (2019) explain, “A team’s power is in its diversity of strengths, personalities, experiences, and knowledge.” In order to build more positive relationships, the director ought to create opportunities for staff to build relationships outside of the classroom. These events should have no agenda. They might take shape in the form of a staff breakfast or an after-school hour. (Wilson, 2006) This time away from the classroom may create opportunities for those who have had work-based conflict to grow an appreciation for one another in a stress-free setting. All of these strategies should create not only a positive working environment, but a positive working community of educators.

IV. Make Staff Feel Valued, Respected, and Appreciated

The final factor that is commonly found to support staff retention relates to making staff feel valued, respected, and appreciated. Many of the above strategies also work to achieve this goal. Effective communication relies heavily on being respectful. Enhancing staff knowledge and skills required individualized supports and attention. Creating a positive work environment involves modeling and utilizing a sense of appreciation and value. Most of what has already been discussed should effectively work towards this goal. However, there are additional practices directors could employ to further prove their appreciation for their staff.

Personal signs of gratification, whether they be verbal, handwritten, or on a bulletin board, can all convey respect and value. Special treats such as a small gift, tasty food, or act of service can work toward the same goal. Major life events and accomplishments should also be acknowledged. For example, a director might provide a recent graduate employee with flowers, or some paid time off. They could also provide intellectual affirmation and support by seeking ideas from staff, showing that their thoughts are valued (Wilson, 2006). As Moore (2001) explains, a director ought to expect high-quality work, and subsequently show recognition of effort in order to sustain it.

Summary

Staff retention is an ongoing struggle. An early childhood director has the power to create an environment of respect and appreciation in which staff want to participate. They must carefully integrate the right amount of challenge, opportunity, and recognition regularly. They must communicate openly and clearly, building positive and trusting relationships with and among their employees. Regardless of a director’s actions or behaviors, every staff member will leave their position at some point. It is the director’s job to ensure that the environment and supports are not the determining factors in their departure.

Childhood is the time for children to be in school and at play, to grow strong and confident with the love and encouragement of their family and extended community of caring adults. It is a precious time in which children should live free from fear, safe from violence and protected from abuse and exploitation (UNICEF, 2005). (Giddens, 2005), has it that childhood has also been shown to be socially constructed, the experience of childhood and its meaning for the society are diverse, both in different historical periods and across geographical regions in the same time period. The piece below seeks to shade more light on whether childhood is a universal concept, or it is one that is understood differently in law, cultures, religion, and context.

According to (UNICEF, 2005), Childhood is more than just the space time before a person is considered an adult, meaning there is much more to childhood than just being a space between birth and the attainment of adulthood, childhood refers to the state and condition of a child’s life to the quality of those years. From a study that was conducted by Dr. Kapesa on the child headed families in Mutasa district, this study showed that children who were meant to be catered for are forced to work and fend for their siblings because of circumstances (Kapesa, 2015). In some parts of

Africa children are taken to work in the minds away from their families and with no one to take care of them such children have been denied their childhood. The United Nation General Assembly passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states in Article 25 that childhood is a period where the child is entitled to special care and assistance. As the most widely endorsed human rights treaty in history, the convention on the rights of a child, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1989 and ratified by all but two countries, in effect, represents the global consensus on the terms of childhood. Although there no absolute agreement on the interpretation of each and every provision of the convention, there is substantial common ground on what the standards of childhood should be.

Childhood is a changing social phenomenon, of continual fascination and concern. Looking at it from a cross-cultural perspective shows the wide variety of childhoods that exist across the world and warns against interfering in or criticising people whose lives, and understandings of the world, are very different to our own (Montgomery, 2013). Culture is how individuals understand who they are and how people give their lives meaning. Culture is understood as a set of practices, beliefs, plans and rules which a social group agree upon and mark them out as unique. Culture gives groups a sense of identity, belonging and pride, culture can be leaned, taught and acquired by members of a group. The recognition that societies differ in their cultural attitudes towards social phenomena and therefore no universal criteria can be applied to compare one cultural view with another. (Westwood, 2013) Culture can therefore only be judged through reference to their own standards. Having said this, individual’s views of childhood might have formed within a particular cultural context and will therefore often be seen as how things are and should be. In line with the above childhood can be understood differently in different cultures. (Timimi & Leo, 2009), Illustrate the way in which Islamic cultural practices and traditions assist children through various stage of development. These stages have been lined to children developing an understanding of the importance of truthfulness and cooperation and the sophisticated cognitive abilities to discern, show respect and demonstrate social skills, once these understandings are attained the child is deemed ready to enter the next phase of development.

In the writes view western countries children are protected to an extent where a parents do not beat a child in the name of discipline, while in Africa being beaten by ones parents is regarded as straightening a child so that they turn out to be well behaved and responsible adults. Therefore, one can say people of different cultures have a different understanding of the concept childhood, some cultures like (male) circumcision, they circumcise their male children at a tender age which some cultures may regard as an evil act because it exposes children to pain, hence compromising an ideal childhood while to some cultures it is okay to do so. It not secrete that in the western countries children are treated with leniency and they are then taught how to behave properly at a later stage and in Africa children are disciplined from the onset, so in the west childhood can be said to be time of play, being free and doing as they please while in Africa childhood is a time to learn how to behave and a time where parents provide for the needs of the children, playing is also an important aspect of childhood in Africa.

A religion is a group of beliefs and rituals. It consists of rules, stories ad symbols which are adopted by the society, a group or a person. Religion maybe a way of life and or search for answers regarding life or death. There are seven major religions in the world and these are Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and animism. According to (Browning & Bunge, 2011), childhood appears in the scripture only a few times, most significantly in the books of psalms and Ecclesiastes. Otherwise the scripture rarely discuss children or childhood as an abstraction. The following verses are presented in conjunction with commentary on them in order to illustrate understandings of childhood. Ecclesiastes 11 verse 9 to 10 says oh youth enjoy yourself while you are in your childhood, let your heart lead you to enjoyment in these days of your youth. Follow the desires of your heart and the glances of your eyes, but know well that god will call you to account for all such things. (Browning & Bunge, 2011), outlines in the

Judaism chapter that childhood is characterised by happiness and enjoyment. Christianity views childhood as a model of discipleship. Letters from the earliest Christian communities follow the early Hebrew Scriptures in urging the children to honour their parents, but in addition advise parents to love their children and not provoke them to anger. Early Christian writers protested customary practice of abortion, abandonment and exposure of children and their sale into slavery and prostitution. Evidence from the texts and practices point to a positive evaluation of childhood from the early Christian community (Browning & Bunge, 2011).

Childhood is experienced differently there is no argument on that, clearly describing a Childs contexts broadly offers a more meaningful and complete way to assess the circumstances in which the children are growing. Moreover public policies directed at influencing at- risk children wellbeing are directed at children’s context, things like the neighbourhoods where these children are coming from, the parent, the family environment and even the country in which they are coming from (Moore, Mbwana, & Theokas, 2011). On that note one can say that childhood is experienced differently, it is of no surprise to have different people, describe their experiences differently an American child would tell a different story of their childhood and same applies to a child raised in the rural sector in Zimbabwe. Not only that but also children coming from poor families experience childhood from a different angle, same applies to children from rich homes.

In conclusion, the quality of children’s lives vary extremely within the same dwelling, between two houses on the same street, between regions and between industrialised and developing countries. The closer children come to being full- grown, the more cultures, countries, and even people within the same country differ in their views of what is expected of children. Despite intellectual debates about the understanding of the term childhood and cultural differences and religion about what to expect for and from children, there has always been a notable degree of shared understanding that childhood implies a separate and safe space, demarcated from adulthood in which children can grow, play and develop. Therefore childhood is a universal condition.

References

1. Browning, D. J., & Bunge, M. J. (2011). Children and childhood in world religions. London: Rutgers university press.
2. Giddens, A. (2005). Sociology. In C. Jenks, Childhood and tragression; In studies mordern childhood (pp. 115-127). London: Palgrave macmilan.
3. Kapesa, M. J. (2015). Understanding resilience and coping in child-headed household in mutasa district zimbabwe. pretoria: University of south africa.
4. Montgomery, H. (2013). Local childhoods; global issues. Policy press.
5. Moore, K., Mbwana, K., & Theokas, C. (2011). Chidren’s developmental contexts:An index based on data of individual children. Child rights research brief. Washington,DC, Virginia, United states of america.
6. Timimi, S., & Leo, J. (2009). Rethinking ADHD:From brain to culture. London: Palgrave. UNICEF. (2005, june). The state of the worlds children 2005. Retrieved from Childhood under threat: https://www.unicef.org/sowc05/english/childhooddefined.html
7. Westwood, J. (2013). Childhood in different cultures; An introduction to early childhood. (T. Maynard, & Powell, Eds.) New york: Sage.

Childhood obesity is an increasing problem, especially in developing countries, and it has different effects on people’s lives in the future. Both genetic factors and unhealthy lifestyle are usually the main reasons for childhood overweight that may lead to immediate and long-term results in the private and social life of a person., but there are still other causes of obesity in children. The World Health Organization (2016) pointed out that the amount of overweight children under the age of five is stated to be over 42 million, 31 million of which are living and growing in developing countries. This essay aims to identify and discuss the main reasons for childhood obesity in developing countries. In addition, it also will elaborate on the socio-economic and health effects of this phenomenon.

Many changes in the definition of obesity were made throughout the time, but now it is stated as an extra amount of body fat (Sahoo, 2015). Two different ways of measuring obesity levels, such as Body Max Index (BMI) and wight-for-hight, are now popular. According to Owens (2013), BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. It helps classify weight status for children. As a disease obesity has its causes, and they may differ depending on the level of development of the country. As Gupta, Goel, Shah and Misra (2012) outlined, at least nine factors can lead to overweight in developing countries: reduced physical activity, increased caloric intake, high socio-economic status (SES), increased exposure to Westernized lifestyle and dietary habits, abundance of fast food, sociocultural factors, age and female gender and school programs.

Genetics is one of the main reasons for childhood overweight. Studies conclude that more that BMI is more than 30% ancestral. It is also considered that age and gender play a role in being overweight at young ages. During the prepubertal phase, there are more obese children than in the postpubertal as teenagers are more concerned about their appearance and weight after the pubertal period. In addition, females are more likely to be obese as they are mostly connected to housework from a young age and have less time for physical activities (Gupta, Goel, Shah, and Misra, 2012). Several reports have documented a greater prevalence of obesity among females than males in India, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil, and some studies have documented the opposite. It is often said that overweight children have ‘baby fat’ that disappears with age, but little is known about the fact that most of them will continue to be obese during their later life. It is generally believed that a fat child is a healthy child. Cooking by grandmothers at home has been linked positively to the prevalence of obesity among Greek children ages 8-12. As Sahoo (2015) stated, although genetics itself has a very small impact on childhood obesity. It has a more harmful effect on weight together with environmental situation and lifestyle.

One of the factors most strongly associated with obesity is a sedentary lifestyle. First of all, many indoor activities and entertainment (internet, television watching, computer games, and others) have become more common in recent years. Each additional hour of daily television viewing increases the prevalence of obesity by 2 percent. Increased time spent in sedentary lifestyles has led to decreased time spent in physical activity. Studies suggest that the number of hours children spend looking at television matches their exposure to the highest advertised products, including sugary cereals, candies, sweetened drinks, and salty snacks. Mass media effects have proven to be important for adolescent aggression and smoking, as well as the development of non-realistic body ideals.( Sahoo et al., 2015)Eating habits also have a great impact on childhood overweight. Bid amount of fast food, sugary beverages, snacks, and large portion sizes that provide more caloric intake lead to childhood obesity and problems with physical and mental health in the future.

One of the reasons for childhood overweight as already mentioned was socio-economic status. Low socio-economic status and independence of racial and ethnic differences are other predictors of childhood obesity.( Deckelbaum and Williams, 2014). Socio-economic factors have also been found to influence the development of obesity. Sometimes in modern society, food is seen as a reward that can help to control others, and in most cases, it leads to unhealthy food habits and becomes one of the reasons for gaining weight. High socio-economic status in developing countries puts people a risk of getting overweight because they have access to energy-rich diets. In developed countries, SES is inversely related to childhood obesity, while in developing countries wealthy children in private schools have significantly higher rates of overweight and obesity than children with lower levels of SES. A study in India found a much higher rate of overweight obesity among children from private schools compared to children from public schools (29% vs. 11.3%). Increased buying capacity in the form of per day (pocket money) to purchase food snacks that are available in the school cafeteria or surrounding fast food outlets could be the main reason for this difference.

Being obese in childhood may cause different diseases in the future. High birth weight is one of the causes of overweight and problems with insulin resistance in adulthood. Childhood obesity raises the risk of mental health problems. In overall, females are at greater risk than males, and the risk increases with age. Poor self-esteem and behavioral problems are likely to be the most commonly associated conditions in obese children and teenagers, and these consequences may have the biggest impact on them, their families, and their future. The incidence of cardiovascular risk factors in obese children, including even young children, is remarkably high. Friedman et al. reported that 58% of obese children aged 5-10 years (BMI -¥95 cm) had at a minimum one cardiovascular risk factor, and 25% had two or more risk factors. Pediatric obesity is also highly related to the clustering of cardiovascular risk factors: the chances of having two or three risk factors in the cohort studied by Friedman et al. (relative to non-obese children) were 9.7 and 43.5 respectively. All these factors are more likely to last for the rest of people’s lives. (Reilly, 2005)

Childhood obesity is a significant problem in different urbanized and developing countries and it continues to grow. There are different causes of childhood obesity- it is more likely to be said that genetics play the most important role in overweight but genetics itself does not do that much as it does along with environment situation and lifestyle. Research suggests that the socioeconomic effect of childhood obesity is enormous- rapid socioeconomic transitions, high socio-economic status, and socialization of children by presenting food as a reward are some of the main reasons of overweight in adulthood. Bad eating habits that cause childhood and adulthood obesity can be acquired in the process of socialization. Changes in understanding of the culture of food and the invention of population-based intervention programs will help to manage childhood obesity and as a result, reduce it all.

Bibliography:

1. Deckelbaum, R.J. and Williams, C.L., 2014. Childhood obesity: The Health Issue. Obesity,[e-journal] 9(S11), 239S-243S. HTTP: dx.doi.org10.1038oby.2001.125.
2. Freedman, D.S., Dietz, W.H., Sathanur R. Srinivasan, S.R. et al., 1999. The Relation of Overweight to Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Children and Adolescents: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, [e-journal] 103 (6), 1175-1182. https:doi.org10.1542peds.103.6.1175.
3. Graver, W.S., Newman, S.B., Gonzalez-Pacheco, D.M et al., 2013. The genetics of childhood obesity and interaction with dietary macronutrients. Genes

Nutrition is one of the keys to healthy growth and life. Eating colorful food such as vegetables and fruits will help people to acquire the vitamins, minerals, and fibers they need to strengthen their immune systems and keep their bodies healthy. Thus, it is vital to start shaping healthy eating habits during the early childhood years. It is in the hands of teachers/caregivers to start establishing and building a foundation of a healthy diet or eating habits for children to have good lifelong eating habits. Furthermore, teachers/caregivers can also help to address concerns about a child’s diet or eating habits. Teachers/caregivers can introduce different kinds/types of food, use interactive activities for the children to explore different food, and provide opportunities to learn about appetites or eating habits.

Young children can be very picky with their food, especially vegetables because they might not like the taste or they might not be familiar with it. Children would tend to reject food that they’re not familiar with, at first. Furthermore, as a teacher, I can address this concern by introducing them to a variety of food in a way that will engage and encourage them to try it. First, I can incorporate the introduction of the types of food into play. For instance, I would introduce the food groups: vegetables, fruits, dairy, protein, and grains, to the group so they to get familiar with them. As I introduce them to the food groups, I would show the children pictures or tangible plastic toys for them to see. After I’d introduced them to food groups, we would play a picnic pretend play where they would sort out the food to get them more familiar. Moreover, another way of introducing the children to different types of food is through serving the food creatively because this will appeal to the child and would be encouraged them to try it. For instance, at snack time, carrots, celery, and cucumber could be served in thin strips with low-fat dip to appeal to the children or be served in another way like carrot bread. With all these strategies in introducing different types of food, I as a teacher would be able to respond to the concerns a child has with his/her diet or eating habits.

If a child is only eating very little portion sizes or insists on only eating one type of food, one of the ways that will help the children to experience other food is through food exploration activity. Food exploration can encourage children to learn about familiar and unfamiliar food through the use of their five senses. Children are multi-sensory learners and through this kind of exposure, a child will more likely to retain what he/she has learned about food since all his/her five senses were stimulated and would be encouraged to eat other food. In addition to this, as a teacher, I would plan food exploration activities as a strategy to help build a foundation in food choices and awareness of different types of food. For instance, I would let the children explore and investigate an apple. First, I would ask the children to describe the apple by its color, shape, and size for the sense of sight. Next, I would ask them to feel and describe the texture for the sense of touch. Then, I would ask them to take a bite of the apple that will make a crunchy sound or cut it, using a kid-friendly knife and with adult supervision, for the sense of taste and sound. Moreover, this kind of strategy will not only let the children have fun and learn about food but this experience can also go in a long way and can be used develop to their cooking /kitchen skills someday. All in all, as a teacher, I would use food exploration to encourage children to try out new food to develop new food preferences and help guide the children to a healthy lifestyle.

Each child has a different appetite and eating habits. Children sometimes would have the tendency to eat a little today and eat a lot the next, the children’s eating patterns can be unpredictable. As a teacher, I would provide opportunities for the children to learn about how to control their food intake and balance their meals to get the nutrients they need. For preschool children, the first thing I would do is to help children recognize their own natural hunger and full body cues such as stomach growl and stomach ache if they ate too much. I would use visuals or demonstrate by filling up a glass jar with water for the children to understand the concepts of empty, full, and too much. Teaching the children about recognizing their own natural hunger and fullness will help and encourage the children to eat a healthy balanced diet and decrease the risk of being overweight or obese in the future. Besides this, I can provide opportunities for the children to learn about controlling their food intake and eating habits by giving them the opportunity to serve food to themselves with the use of kid-friendly and appropriate-size portion utensils. With this opportunity, they will know and experience how much should they eat. With all this in mind, I can address a child’s diet or eating habits by teaching the children to learn about their own natural body signals and allowing them to serve themselves with an appropriate size portion.

Teachers and caregivers should always be observant and pay close attention to children and their eating habits. Observing the children while it’s snack time or recess will help to see if there are concerns and problems that need to be addressed. Further, as a teacher/caregiver, I would be wary and I may raise some concerns if I observed the child eat only a small size portion, for example just taking a bite or two of his/her food or rejecting the food for the past week. I would continue to observe the child’s eating habits to get more information and encourage the child to eat more than two bites. Then, I would share with the parents in person what I’ve observed from their child’s eating habits. I would respectfully ask the parents if they also share the same concerns as I have at home and/or ask a few more questions regarding the child’s diet and eating habits. After that, I would work with the parents on what to do next to help the child if the same issue occurs at home. I would make an appointment with them to collaborate on the learning activity that can be done at the center and at home such as food exploration and cooking activities that encourage the child to try out the food. Further, if the same problem persists I will not only work with the parents but also ask for some information from professionals to have a better understanding of the situation.

In conclusion, when a child rejects food, insists to eat one food, and eats too much are some signs that can trigger some concerns about a child’s diet or eating habits. As a teacher planning activities and strategies such as introducing food groups, food exploration, and providing opportunities to learn about appetites or eating habits can help address the concern and help the child to learn more about his/her nutrition. Not only this, communication and collaboration with parents are essential in supporting the child’s nutrition and health.