South African Child Gauge 2009/2010

This collection of papers focused on the theme 'Healthy children: From survival to optimal development' can be used for independant study/research or for integation into child development curriculm. The South African Child Gauge is produced annually by the Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town to monitor government and civil society’s progress towards realising the rights of children. This issue focuses on child health. The South African Child Gauge is divided into three parts: PART ONE: Children and law reform Part one discusses recent legislative developments affecting child health. In this issue there is commentary on the Children’s Act, the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act, provincial health legislation, Tobacco Products Control Amendment Acts, regulations to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and new regulations to the Social Assistance Act. PART TWO: Healthy children: From survival to optimal development Part two presents a series of 12 essays. Essays one and two set the scene by examining children’s rights to health and the status of child health in South Africa. Then come three essays that look at key health challenges and how to address them: HIV and TB; malnutrition; mental health and risk behaviour. These are followed by four essays that examine how to strengthen the health care system’s response to childhood illness and injury. This includes defining a package of basic health care services; managing resources and building capacity; providing child- and family-friendly services; and strengthening community-based pro-grammes. The next essay shows how the roots of childhood illness and injury often lie outside the health care system, and calls for concerted action to address the social determinants of health. Two further essays point the way forward. In the first, the Minister of Health describes his vision for child health in South Africa. The second draws on the findings presented in the earlier essays to outline recommendations for a system and a society that support ...