Network dialogue was respectful and fruitful and discussion outcomes are described in the following sections. 3.4 Dialogue on Barriers The Chin Advisors and service providers in the Network identified barriers which discouraged Chin families from accessing early childhood services and these are summarised below. Cultural barriers In preparing for the Network meetings, the dialogue between Chin Advisors included discussion on childhood and health issues in Burma. They talked about how, in Burma, caring for children and teaching domestic skills was women’s work. Older children, rather than parents, played with younger children. The men provided discipline and practical survival skills, such as fishing, making items, repairing things, and chopping wood. When settling in Australia, survival skills were no longer needed, reducing the men’s role. One man said: have no role here. I’ve lost my “I place and position”. Others said that they played sport with their children. When talking health services for young children in Burma, Advisory Group members talked about difficulties associated with malnourishment, sleeping and sickness. In the villages, there was little support from health services and no health education or advice on healthy diets. There were very occasional visits from health workers which were not well promoted. One person spoke about the annual visit to the village by a nurse who provided injections against polio, using the needle multiple times. When babies were born, older village women gave advice and helped with the birth. There was limited sterilization, and newborns were placed in kitchen bowls. Medication was not available and it was common for mothers and babies to die in child birth. Men were not present during births. Against this cultural background, parents in the Advisory appreciated being able to use the Maternal and Child Health system when in Australia, seeing their babies measured and weighed. They said they had learnt about healthy diets, developmental stages of the baby and use of nappies. However, there were a number of barriers that discouraged Chin families from using early childhood services once in Australia, particularly child care. Chin families: Were used to sharing child care within extended families in Burma Were used to sleeping in the same bed as their children and rarely being separated from them Were unfamiliar with Maternal and Child Health services, which were rarely available in villages in Burma Were unfamiliar with the concept of childhood services generally, because they were not provided in Burma Believed that kindergartens were not for them, but for rich people” Mistrusted services that were not inclusive or culturally competent
Network dialogue was respectful and fruitful and discussion outcomes are described in the following sections. 3.4 Dialogue on Barriers The Chin Advisors and service providers in the Network identified barriers which discouraged Chin families from accessing early childhood services and these are summarised below. Cultural barriers In preparing for the Network meetings, the dialogue between Chin Advisors included discussion on childhood and health issues in Burma. They talked about how, in Burma, caring for children and teaching domestic skills was women’s work. Older children, rather than parents, played with younger children. The men provided discipline and practical survival skills, such as fishing, making items, repairing things, and chopping wood. When settling in Australia, survival skills were no longer needed, reducing the men’s role. One man said: “I have no role here. I’ve lost my place and position”. Others said that they played sport with their children. When talking health services for young children in Burma, Advisory Group members talked about difficulties associated with malnourishment, sleeping and sickness. In the villages, there was little support from health services and no health education or advice on healthy diets. There were very occasional visits from health workers which were not well promoted. One person spoke about the annual visit to the village by a nurse who provided injections against polio, using the needle multiple times. When babies were born, older village women gave advice and helped with the birth. There was limited sterilization, and newborns were placed in kitchen bowls. Medication was not available and it was common for mothers and babies to die in child birth. Men were not present during births. Against this cultural background, parents in the Advisory appreciated being able to use the Maternal and Child Health system when in Australia, seeing their babies measured and weighed. They said they had learnt about healthy diets, developmental stages of the baby and use of nappies. However, there were a number of barriers that discouraged Chin families from using early childhood services once in Australia, particularly child care. Chin families: Were used to sharing child care within extended families in Burma Were used to sleeping in the same bed as their children and rarely being separated from them Were unfamiliar with Maternal and Child Health services, which were rarely available in villages in Burma Were unfamiliar with the concept of childhood services generally, because they were not provided in Burma Believed that kindergartens were not for them, but for rich people” Mistrusted services that were not inclusive or culturally competent
ECAP-Guide-docx-2012.docx