The Concept of Childhood as a Socially Constructed Phenomenon
This paper will focus on the historical constructs of childhood and its impact on the children of recent times. This paper will cover the issues and the ranges of childhood in this contemporary time especially by focusing on the aboriginals of the Torres Strait Island. This topic will help to develop the idea of the islander which will include the perspective of the western notion of social justice. This article will help to understand the overall diverse indigenous Australian issues and the impact on early childhood education. The epistemology regarding this subject will help to shed the light on the cultural, social issues and the views regarding the same.
The concept of childhood is a complex perspective. This is a stage from which every human being goes through. Childhood is mainly socially constructed. But, this stage differs from society to society, culture to culture. Depending on the social and cultural factor the concept and the notion of childhood keeps changing. This concept influences almost every discipline to build knowledge and an area of the subject. Different disciplines have different approaches to make the concept understandable. This deeply rooted socially constructed phenomenon is a historical event that can not be isolated from society. This process is applicable to every society and culture. However, as the passing time, the notion and the structure of childhood are also changing and developing from society to society (Eliason, 2021).
Childhood is an important phase for every individual irrespective of their caste and the geographical location. Aboriginal children and the Islander of the Torres Strait are vulnerable compare to the other countries children because of their under-development issue. This under development can be observed due to the geographical location. Evidence suggests that the early childhood education is very important for every child globally. Education can change the mentality of every individual which can help them to build their own identity and to grow in their life. Early education helps to improve the outcome of their future life. Education can support the children and can make them strong to build the perception. Though the percentage of the literacy of the children is low than the other location of the world. However, ensuring the high quality of early childhood education. The primary goal is to work on directly to have the sustainable development for the Aboriginals children. Australian government has started to focus on the development of the early childhood education which can bring a change to develop the aboriginal community. Maximum of the population of the aboriginal community live in the remote areas thus the availability of the developed resources can not be accessed by them. Thus, limited number of children can avail the education (SNAICC, 2022). As they are facing the under developed infrastructure in today’s society which helps the other society to discriminate them. Education can bring the change psychologically as well as the effective changes in their lifestyle, thinking, can be observed. Thus, early childhood education is an important aspect of progress, development and the improve the community, culture and the opportunities for their well-being (Fanshawe et al.,2019).
Importance of Early Childhood Education on Vulnerable Aboriginal and Islander Communities
Aboriginal communities of the island believe in childhood resilience is the key factor for normal development and social functions which can help to strengthen the positive behaviors to face the challenging environment of the particular society or the circumstances. Resilience is the socio-cultural factor that can help the environment to develop a strong and positive connection for better outcomes and wellbeing. The islander and the aboriginals presented the notion of the idea which suggests that they have the historical idea of the social concepts rather than building the western idea of it. Which also reflects the difficulties and the issues of the society and the impact of it. The community members also emphasize the importance of resilience to overcome challenging situations and to develop a positive environment for the aboriginals. Though the aboriginal children have a strong adaptive attitude to adapt to the difficulties but developing strategies is required which can help the environment to reduce the difficulties in the life of the aboriginal (Young et al., 2017) Developing the criteria to support the cultural programs by evaluating cultural initiatives and cultural strengths, promoting leadership to achieve success and developing model will help to engage youth, cultural strength, life skills of the society. Also, some strategies can be considered to improve the well-being of the cultural and social aspects of the Aboriginal. Developing mental health promotion for the wellbeing of the individual, especially the children is needed. Self-help groups, positive role model and developing strategies to promote the strength between the parent children relationship for their future wellbeing is needed to build resilience and to promote life promotion, wellbeing among the Aboriginal of the Torres Strait Island. For sustainable development and the long-term wellbeing of the Aboriginal families and children developing cultural programs, making parenting programs to improve the behavioral skills and health, developing the children educational background, intervention to improve the relation between the parents and children, and identifying the bullying and intervention and strategies to counter bullying is extremely important in this society. Discrimination is not effective and useful in any society. For removing discrimination education is necessary. Many services and government help, intervention to monitor the changes and to apply the strategies, is necessary to support the families, youths and the children of the Aboriginal and Islander of the Torres Strait (Craven, 2020).
Aboriginals and the islanders of Torres Strait Australia have the complex institutional factors of the communities and the beliefs of their respective communities. Social issues, difficulties, and challenges are deeply rooted in the society of the aboriginal community. Australian islander culture is heterogenous and they have their indigenous characters according to their geographic location. There is a number of factors that can be the reason for the challenges the members of the Australian community experienced. Marginalization, poverty, unemployment, racism these problems need to be addressed and to be removed from society. These negative beliefs of the culture have an impact on the individual of the islander. To reduce and remove the difficulties from the islander communities a positive environment and positive approach are needed. Appropriate developing infrastructure, logistical development of the service, developed social and economical infrastructure which can reduce the rate of poverty, well connections between the areas irrespective of the geographical location which can be helpful to eradicate the marginalized factor, development of the educational institution which can be effective to provide the knowledge of the western notion to discard the difficulties, social control and western notion of beliefs and cultures to establish the community outcome, these approaches are required in the society and culture of the islander community to develop. The overall development will help to build a good relationship with diverse communities. Thus, positive actions and approaches are much needed in these islanders to build resilience power and to strengthen the relationship among the different communities to promote the effectiveness of the same. These things will automatically help the children from that particular area to improve their life. (Young et al.,2017)
Resilience and Positive Behaviors for Aboriginal Children
The importance and the beliefs of the culture can be changed by the role of educational outcome. The aboriginals and the people of the Australian islanders’ culture are not that progressive and need the improved educational factor to play an important role. Education can shape culture and society. And culture can shape and contribute to the identity of the individuals of that particular place and influence the social world to develop the education of the children and to increase the literacy rate. Depending on the culture and the social constructions, the system and the functions of the society vary. The educational system also depends on the different characteristics of the culture. The experiences and the upgradation nowadays maximum aspects are rooted to this institution. Education is important, especially in these contemporary times of the world, and to present the culture and the worldview of that particular place. Education is a significant role that can have a positive impact. This is a recognized criterion that can improve the quality of the social, cultural, and historical context of a place. In this case, Australian Torres Strait Island has the highest non-attendance rates and the lowest literacy in Australia. Almost 20% of children are not enrolled in the school and the maximum of the enrolled students are irregular (Fanshawe et al.,2019). Thus, this has a negative effect on the children of that place especially after the comparison with the other places. Western perspective should focus more on this issue to standardize and maintain the viewpoint of the importance of education in front of the current generation of youths and children. Due to the maximum number of illiterate people living there, the other people from different societies marginalized the community of the islander and treats them unequally. Thus, social justice cannot be seen in this case. In this contemporary time removing inequality is important but for that establishing the educational institution and placing its importance of it on the top is also necessary. To change the attitudes and relationships with different types of communities and to change the old historical context with the new social structure educators must change the policies and the practice. Formal education is not the main tool for the islander as the society and the culture of the island are linked with the notion of colonialism and inequalities in many different sectors including education and literacy. The western perspective of education is not effective for the islander and the Aboriginal of the country, Australia. There should be some unique way to reflect the idea of education and to improve the same. Helping the students with their challenges, issues to ensure their safety and to remove the unequal treatment will be an effective role for the educators. Supportive learning environment and inclusion of diversity can be the reason to have the positive outcome from this minority and marginalized community of Australia. (Fanshawe et al.,2019).
The oldest and most colonized culture of Australia is the culture of the aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders. The history of colonization has had a major impact on their culture. Due to the underdevelopment and lack of improvement, lack of developing infrastructure westernized beliefs values and notion and due to the geographical location, the people from this place and the children also experience difficulties regarding the issues. The history of injustice denied access to the basic human rights of health, housing, education, and employment for many of the islanders and aboriginals (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2022).
Strategies to Reduce Difficulties and Challenges in the Society of Aboriginal Communities
The Australian government should give more focus on the aboriginals and islanders of the country to protect the children of that place from insecurity and difficulties. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child addressed their concerns about the discrimination and the unequal treatments the children are facing due to the lack of resources and developing infrastructure, services. The government should take action and make strategies to promote and protect the children of their country from different barriers. If needed separate children’s rights should be made for the children of the Torres Strait Island. Protecting them from different types of abuse and discrimination the government should take action to support the children who need help. Equal access to the service, a better quality of life, education, health, home all the basic rights should be available and accessible for the children of that place (NATSILS, 2015).
Conclusion
However, from the above discussion the overview and the concept of the Aboriginal and the indigenous community people from the Torres Strait Island, Australia is presented. This article reflects the culture and the challenges that are experienced by the children and the member of that place during contemporary times also. The notion of injustice and the importance of education is described to strengthen the power to protect themselves and to fight for them against injustice and inequality.
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