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'It Seems Hard for Her, but She Tries to Be Strong': Early Childhood Community Practitioners' Accounts of Foreign Mothers' Vulnerabilities in Alexandra Township, South Africa

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Title: 'It Seems Hard for Her, but She Tries to Be Strong': Early Childhood Community Practitioners' Accounts of Foreign Mothers' Vulnerabilities in Alexandra Township, South Africa
Language: English
Authors: Chloe Laumann (ORCID 0009-0007-9372-1016), Josien de Klerk (ORCID 0000-0002-9165-4100), Nicki Dawson (ORCID 0000-0003-4102-1476)
Source: Infant and Child Development. 2025 34(4).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Mothers, Neonates, Child Rearing, Early Childhood Teachers, At Risk Persons, Parent Child Relationship, Immigrants, Barriers, Social Influences, Resilience (Psychology), Foreign Countries, Disadvantaged, Infants, Cultural Influences, Access to Health Care, Administrative Organization, Social Support Groups, Employment Level
Geographic Terms: South Africa
DOI: 10.1002/icd.70047
ISSN: 1522-7227
1522-7219
Abstract: This qualitative study explores challenges foreign mothers face in caring for newborns in Alexandra Township, South Africa, from the perspective of Early Childhood Community Practitioners (ECCPs). Based on 21 observational reports written by ECCPs and 3 triangulation interviews, the study explores practitioner accounts of specific vulnerabilities and their impact on the ability of foreign mothers to respond to their infants. Using a vulnerability framework, the study shows three themes related to the experiences of 21 foreign mothers aged between 23 and 38, the majority being from Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, that practitioners associated with mothers' ability to take care of their babies: experiences of structural and systemic challenges, challenges related to social and caregiving support, and resilience narratives. The interplay of different vulnerabilities shapes parenting infants at particular moments in time. The study concludes that ECCPs associate the parenting capacity of foreign mothers with the emotional toll of their experiences and the uncertainty of social support.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1481884
Database: ERIC
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  Data: 'It Seems Hard for Her, but She Tries to Be Strong': Early Childhood Community Practitioners' Accounts of Foreign Mothers' Vulnerabilities in Alexandra Township, South Africa
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chloe+Laumann%22">Chloe Laumann</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9372-1016">0009-0007-9372-1016</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Josien+de+Klerk%22">Josien de Klerk</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9165-4100">0000-0002-9165-4100</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nicki+Dawson%22">Nicki Dawson</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4102-1476">0000-0003-4102-1476</externalLink>)
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mothers%22">Mothers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neonates%22">Neonates</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Rearing%22">Child Rearing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Teachers%22">Early Childhood Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22At+Risk+Persons%22">At Risk Persons</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Child+Relationship%22">Parent Child Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Immigrants%22">Immigrants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Influences%22">Social Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Resilience+%28Psychology%29%22">Resilience (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disadvantaged%22">Disadvantaged</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infants%22">Infants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+Influences%22">Cultural Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Health+Care%22">Access to Health Care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrative+Organization%22">Administrative Organization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Support+Groups%22">Social Support Groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+Level%22">Employment Level</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22South+Africa%22">South Africa</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1002/icd.70047
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  Data: 1522-7227<br />1522-7219
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This qualitative study explores challenges foreign mothers face in caring for newborns in Alexandra Township, South Africa, from the perspective of Early Childhood Community Practitioners (ECCPs). Based on 21 observational reports written by ECCPs and 3 triangulation interviews, the study explores practitioner accounts of specific vulnerabilities and their impact on the ability of foreign mothers to respond to their infants. Using a vulnerability framework, the study shows three themes related to the experiences of 21 foreign mothers aged between 23 and 38, the majority being from Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, that practitioners associated with mothers' ability to take care of their babies: experiences of structural and systemic challenges, challenges related to social and caregiving support, and resilience narratives. The interplay of different vulnerabilities shapes parenting infants at particular moments in time. The study concludes that ECCPs associate the parenting capacity of foreign mothers with the emotional toll of their experiences and the uncertainty of social support.
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  Data: 2025
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: EJ1481884
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        Value: 10.1002/icd.70047
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 13
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mothers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Neonates
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Rearing
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      – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: At Risk Persons
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      – SubjectFull: Immigrants
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      – SubjectFull: Barriers
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      – SubjectFull: Social Influences
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      – SubjectFull: Resilience (Psychology)
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Infants
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      – SubjectFull: Cultural Influences
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      – SubjectFull: Access to Health Care
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      – SubjectFull: Social Support Groups
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      – SubjectFull: Employment Level
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      – SubjectFull: South Africa
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      – TitleFull: 'It Seems Hard for Her, but She Tries to Be Strong': Early Childhood Community Practitioners' Accounts of Foreign Mothers' Vulnerabilities in Alexandra Township, South Africa
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              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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