Child in Africa

Book excerpt: "When we focus on children and adolescents younger than 18 years, we have an opportunity to intervene through policy and practice aimed at improving the quality of life and opportunities to thrive. Through evidence-informed decisions and interventions we have the opportunity to shift a generation of children and adolescents, and transform a society. Children living on the African continent tend to live within diverse, and often challenging environments. These community and familial environments in which children and adolescents come from, are also the context and environments which fosters growth and development. This book, Child in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges, presents studies of children living on the African continent, covering various developmental stages which include children in their early years of life, middle childhood and adolescence - all living in different environments on the African continent. Using mixed methods approaches and backed by rigorous methods the book covers topics such as child and adolescent mental health, parenting, children and disability, parenting in adversity, the impact of dental caries on early childhood development, adolescent identity in post-apartheid South Africa, hookah pipe use and relational aspects to families, young fathers, and intervening in adolescent health risk behaviour. The book presents interesting debates and discussions focused on the child in Africa, aimed to inform both policy and practice"--