RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
A1 Olayi, James E.
T1 The impact of direct child assistance strategy as an approach for rehabilitating children and youths with disabilities: a baseline survey of the three senatorial districts of cross river state of Nigeria
JF e-Pedagogium
YR 2015
VO 15
IS 2
SP 123
OP 134
DO 10.5507/epd.2015.023
UL https://e-pedagogium.upol.cz/en/artkey/epd-201502-0012.php
AB The direct child assistance (DCA) service approach is a core strategy used by the Liliane Funds in providing rehabilitation to children and youths under its care across the world. This quality service delivery strategy is provided in partnership with organizations with similar mission and vision through mediators and field workers. The baseline study examined the successes of the programme so far in the area under survey. Emphasis was on core areas of interest in the rehabilitation process such as Education, Social, Medical, Economic independence, Interpersonal relationships and in recent times Enabling environment. The aim of the study is to find out the impact of the programme on the children and youths, their families and community adjustment, parents and care givers basically on the areas of focus and participation in the rehabilitation process. A total of 150 participants drawn from children and youths who previously and currently benefit from this programme, representatives of partner organizations and Mediators who are actually involved in the delivery of the packaged services to beneficiaries in schools, training centres and shops, hospitals and at their door steps. Five research questions were posed reflecting the five core focus areas. Also, interview guide which provided smooth transmission of discussion with informants were drawn. Interview was conducted on a face to face contact with participants by the researcher. A simple percent statistical tool was used to describe the outcome of results. The result revealed that 80% of children and youths, who are beneficiaries, cooperated with the rehabilitation and could set goals and work toward achieving them. It also revealed that success was more recorded in the areas of education and medical rehabilitation, with social and interpersonal relationship scoring only 45%. 17% constituted dropout from the programme due to lack of parental participation, truancy on the part of the children/youths and sometimes due to more handicapping conditions. Mention also was made of inadequate financial allocations for mediators to execute the programme.