This century is characterized by dramatic changes in all aspects of human life. Technological changes, the covid-19 pandemic and accompanying factors, fierce competition in every direction and especially in the labor market, have increased the pressure on families and children and added uncertainty and dilemmas for the future. In this context, the well-being of families and the younger generation is in question. In this study, the authors focuses on the concept of well-being and the theories on which it is based as well as the changes that this concept has undergone for several decades. They analyze the objective and subjective well-being of children based on the Theory of Ecological Systems by Urie Bronfenbrenner (1992). Based on literature review, there is a high variation in the definition of the term well being. The lack of clarity on the full meaning of the term is seen as a potential factor in the misuse of this concept by professionals who support the well-being of children in schools. The authors addresses the role of the school family in the well-being of children by highlighting the importance of a systematic assessment of their subjective well-being. Finally, strategies and policies at various levels are discussed, which should be followed to ensure the well-being of new generation Received: 1 October 2022 / Accepted: 10 November 2022 / Published: 18 November 2022
The following article, Aramvanitch K. Learning Outcomes of Basic Life Support in Primary School Children (RAMAkids Club), which was published on Ramathibodi Medical Journal, 2019;42(1):29-35, has been retracted. The reason given is that the study was conducted with unethical manners. The investigation has been conducted and decision has been made by the executive committee governing research integrity, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University on August 20, 2019.
Kasamon Aramvanitch, Yuwares Sittichanbuncha, Panvilai Tangkulpanich et al.
Namibia has adopted several policies, pieces of legislation and programmes aimed at improving the well-being of children. However, the Namibian National Policy on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) of 2004 no longer adequately reflects the contemporary problems faced by vulnerable children. Policy makers require a comprehensive and integrated set of indicators to inform policy revision to make informed choices. This article reviewed national and international child protection reports, evaluation studies and indices to identify contemporary indicators for tracking child well-being in Namibia. It found that while the available indicators reflect objective well-being measures, there is a gap in tracking the subjective experiences of children, child safety and the promotion of children’s rights. The article offers an alternative integrated indicator framework that captures multiple dimensions of child well-being. Adoption of this framework can enable policy makers to make more informed decisions to support vulnerable children. Keywords: child well-being, indicator framework, objective well-being, orphans and vulnerable children, subjective well-being
Abstract Background Research underscores the primary school's pivotal role in educating children on managing health information. To enhance the effectiveness of interventions, relevance for the children and engagement of children in learning activities co-design is a promising participatory method. It fosters empowerment and ownership among young learners which is needed for active involvement in learning health literacy (HL) skills. Methods Four steps of design-based research were used to design and evaluate HL learning activities with children. In the first two steps HL learning activities were co-designed in groups of 6-9 children and 2 researchers in 3 schools in the Netherlands. In the third step the co-design group and their peers tested the activities in school. For the evaluation children's HL was measured at T0, T1, T2 with HLS-Child-Q15-NL, learning outcomes (LO) were measured subjectively based on the HL skills in the learning activity at T1 and T2. The effect on HL and LO for testing and co-designing the activities was analysed for differences within and between the co-design group and the peers who only tested the activity. Results 66 Children participated in this study (n = 24 in co-design group, n = 42 in test group. The mean age was 10.8 and 62% were girls. In the co-design group HL scores increased significantly over time. The group of peers had a significantly increased learning outcomes scores after testing the learning activity. However, the co-design group started with a significantly higher learning outcomes score than the peers group before the test. Conclusions Co-designing the activity significantly increased HL and showed significantly higher LO scores, suggesting that co-designing an HL learning activity is more beneficial than experiencing it. Engaging in the design process contributed to a deeper understanding of HL and LO, which highlights the importance of an active role in learning processes.
This dissertation consists of three essays examining the role of two particular social safety net programs, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), on the well-being of children from disadvantaged households. While the impact of these programs on the adults and parents of the household have been studied extensively, less is known about their effect on children. This is true for both their immediate impact on child well-being and any long-run impacts on children who grow up under these programs. Given the demonstrated importance of child well-being on later life adult outcomes, understanding the lasting effects of the programs is of great policy importance. In Essay 1, I examine the effect of welfare reform on long-run educational attainment and family structure outcomes on children who grew up under the reformed welfare system. In the early 1990’s, the United States reformed its welfare system through state waivers and the TANF program. These changes altered family resources and potential investments for childhood human capital, which in turn could affect later adult outcomes. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) Child Development Supplement (CDS) and the Transition to Adulthood Supplement (TAS), I examine the short-run effects of welfare reform on cognitive and noncognitive outcomes and the long-run impact of welfare reform on adult education and family structure through age 28. I find that as children, these individuals have higher reading test scores by an average of 6 percent of a standard deviation. As adults, I find robust evidence that these treated individuals are on average 9 percent more likely to graduate college. I also find some evidence that they are more likely to be married and less likely to have a child out of wedlock. The impacts of welfare reform are larger for women than men for childhood test scores and college completion, marriage rates, and out of wedlock births as adults. In Essay 2, I continue to study the effects of welfare reform on child well-being, here focusing on the effect of welfare reform on the health insurance coverage, healthcare utilization, and the health status of children. In addition to changing the overall resources available to the family to invest in child health, welfare reform also has specific implications for health insurance coverage. As mothers were moved to work they could gain private coverage and welfare reform eliminated automatic eligibility for Medicaid. In this essay, I use data from the PSID CDS. I find a 3-5 percent decrease in the likelihood that a child has had their annual checkup but no change to the insurance coverage of children. For health status, I find lower rates of asthma by 17 percent among African American children and an increase of 3-5 healthy days a year for all children. I present suggestive evidence that the improvements in child health are driving the reduction in healthcare utilization. Given the evidence in the literature on the importance of childhood health, these improvements have potentially large ramifications for future adult health. Finally, in Essay 3 I explore the effect of the real purchasing power of SNAP benefits for households with children on dietary quality of food acquisitions and food insecurity. SNAP, formerly food stamps, is one of the most important components of the social safety net. However, there is concern that benefits are inadequate given high food insecurity rates among participating households. Currently SNAP does not account for variation in local food prices and does not sufficiently consider the dietary needs of adolescent children. Using data from the Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS), I exploit variation in county level food prices and family composition to estimate the purchasing power of food expenditures for SNAP and SNAP–eligible households to test for the effect of additional benefits on dietary quality and food security. I find that a ten percent increase in purchasing power is associated with increased per person weekly acquisition of grains, proteins, dairy, and vegetables by 1.5-2.5 percent. However the quantity of added sugars also increases by approximately two percent, suggesting an ambiguous impact on health. In line with these modest changes in quantity, I do not find a statistically significant impact of purchasing power on food insecurity rates.
Out-of-school children is a long-standing significant global problem, with direct implications on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs. The chapter elucidates the out-of-school children and sustainable development relationship through the identification of the core causes such as socioeconomic constraints, gender inequality, health-related problems, and unavailability of access to educational facilities. The research employs statistics on out-of-school children and analyzes different reasons for being out of formal school and long-term results of dislocation in education. It displays major areas where intervention can be accomplished, for instance, boosting the provision of educational facilities, alternative learning channels, and removal of economic and cultural hurdles. The research shows that satisfaction of the out-of-school children's needs not only brings individual contentment but also leads to overall societal development, for instance, poverty eradication, economic growth, and gender balance. Reintegration of out-of-school children into the school system is ultimately necessary in an attempt to accomplish sustainable development and impart a better life to all children.
This study examines the influence of child custody laws on child well-being in post-divorce families. By comparing legal frameworks across countries, the research assesses the outcomes of different custody arrangements concerning children’s psychological health, academic performance, and social stability. Findings indicate that shared custody generally provides better well-being outcomes for children, although cultural and legal variations affect these impacts.
The growing popularity of the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the education environment has transformed the practice of teaching and learning, especially in terms of customization, flexibility, and data-based learning. The given quantitative research designates the effect of AI-based instructional approaches on the academic achievements of primary schoolers. The data were gathered with the help of a pre-test and post-test research design and were obtained among primary school students who were exposed to AI-based instructional tools, i.e., adaptive learning platforms and intelligent tutoring systems. The difference in academic performance and level of engagement was measured prior to and after the intervention using statistical analysis. The results demonstrate that AI-based instructional strategies can positively impact the learning performance of students statistically significantly, improving academic performance and engagement of the learners in contrast to conventional teaching practices. The paper is an important contribution on the pedagogical importance of AI in primary education, and it is supported by empirical evidence that can be used to make informed judgments about the use of technology during early educational activities.
This study investigates the relationship between various indicators of child well-being and economic growth. It groups indicators of child well-being into four key dimensions, namely child health, child education, child nutrition, and child access to water and sanitation. The study uses panel data of 5-year averages for 184 developed and under-developing countries for the period 1960-2020. It employs the mediation/ moderation analysis to examine the conditional direct and indirect effects of our composite measures of child well-being on growth. For estimation, we use the seemingly unrelated regression method for unbalanced panel data as developed by Biorn (2004). Our results show that child health, nutrition and education have a positive impact on economic growth. However, the direct impact of child access to water and sanitation is negative which is conditional on the levels of child health. The findings of this study can help policymakers to understand the role of different aspects of child well-being in building a solid foundation for more equitable and sustainable economic growth in the future.
The paper proposes a methodology for calculating the Statistical Index of Child Well-being, developed for Rosstat and tested with the support of the Timchenko Foundation using 2018–2022 data. Based on 27 Rosstat indicators, the index introduces a dual regional classification by domains of child well-being and by observed improvement outcomes. The aim of the study is to identify types of Russian regions according to the level and dynamics of child well-being in 2018–2022 using the integrated Child Well-being Index and its component sub-indices. Correlation analysis is conducted to examine the relationship between the Child Well-being Index (and its sub-indices) and regional socio-economic conditions, including gross regional product (GRP) per capita and income inequality. In addition, cluster analysis is applied to classify Russian regions based on child well-being indicators. The results reveal significant regional disparities in both the composite child well-being index and its sub-indices. Several stable regional groups are identified: regions with consistently high levels of child well-being, which may serve as benchmarks for effective policy practices; regions with persistently low levels; regions with a sustained decline in the index; regions demonstrating steady improvement; and regions characterized by unstable dynamics. The analysis shows that the dynamics of child well-being are associated with the level of regional economic development, with higher GRP per capita corresponding to higher index values and more favourable dynamics. Income inequality primarily affects sub-indices related to the financial well-being of families and public expenditure levels. Future research directions include identifying determinants of fluctuations in the Child Well-being Index and developing a reduced “mini-index” based on a smaller set of indicators to enable quarterly monitoring of child well-being dynamics.
