International Early Childhood Education

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2

Delfina Mitchell shares about the Liberty Children’s Home in Ladyville Belize with it 42 residents.  Although Belize is a beautiful country Ms. Mitchell shares that the country holds the dubious position of number one in the incidence of child abuse. Many of the children at the home are there because of physical or sexual abuse, abandonment or neglect. In her account of a nine-year-old boy who resided at the home after being subject to physical abuse and witnessing his sister also being abused Mitchell shared how he shut down and did not speak to anyone for more than a year. Taking a special interest in the little boy Mitchell took him horseback riding. To her surprise, he began talking and told how he was abused by his grandmother. He also related how he would hide under a bed to eat so no one would take his food away. This opening up and speaking was short-lived and the little boy was soon silent again (Mitchell, 2016).

            Mitchell had the boy undergo short periods of schooling on a daily basis followed by time outside in the gardens where he seemed to be most comfortable.  After weeks of schooling and medication, the little boy began to show great improvement. Now he appears to be like any other little boy, talking a mile a minute, and enjoying his life. All this I believe was due to the loving care and attention he received under the attention of the director Ms. Mitchell and other personnel at the Liberty Children’s Home.

            All around the world institutions and education programs are working for the best interest for the children they serve. In Canada, the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (AFWI) shares a strong belief in the power of translating the science of child development to inform public policy. AFWI’s website shares resources for researchers, policymakers and the general public. The site also includes presentations on additions early brain development, other topics including the early foundations of lifelong health (Center on the Developing Child, 2016). In Mexico, the Center is adding a human development focus to their work so they connected with the Universidad Regiomontana on enhancing child outcomes through adult capacity building (Center on the Developing Child, 2016).  

References

Harvard University (2016). Center on The Developing Child Retrieved from  http://developingchild.harvard.edu/about/what-we-do/global-work/

Mitchell, D., (2016). World Forum Radio, Delfina Mitchell. Retrieved from http://www.viaway.com/view/1331827/next