Running head: PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGIVERS The Key to a "Good" Home: The Perspective of Guyanese Children's Home Caregivers By Shaneika C. Bailey BA, University of Waterloo, 2007 Master's Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Social Work in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Master of Social Work Wilfrid Laurier University 2011 ©Shaneika C. 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The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in this et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. Ni thesis. Neither the thesis nor la these ni des extraits substantias de celle-ci substantial extracts from it may be ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement printed or otherwise reproduced reproduits sans son autorisation. without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne sur la Privacy Act some supporting forms protection de la vie privee, quelques may have been removed from this formulaires secondaires ont ete enleves de thesis. cette these. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. 1+1 Canada PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGIVERS Abstract This thesis examines the perceptions of long-term caregivers in a Guyanese children's home regarding what makes a "good" residential children's institution. Using a hybrid of reflection on data and autoethnography (or reflexive ethnography) as my methodology, I conducted individual, semi-structured interviews with nine participants centred on the question, "How do you define or describe a good orphanage?" What emerged from the study was a range of opinions regarding whether children's homes were actually good for children as well as the elements of a good orphanage. Participants provided responses that were organized into the following themes: a nurturing physical environment, well-trained staff who are suited to the work and greater government involvement. Participants also identified challenges to providing good care. After reporting the thematic analysis of the interviews with caregivers, in keeping with reflexive ethnography, I present my own personal and professional reflections on the interview process, the results and the effects of the research experience on my perspective about what contributes to the making of a "good" children's home. The discussion that follows examines how the aspects put forth by Guyanese caregivers compare to the protective mechanisms Emiliani and Bastianoni (1993, as cited by Palareti & Berti, 2009) deem to be essential to operating a good residential institution for children. In closing, I make recommendations for creating and maintaining good orphanages in Guyana. ii PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGIVERS Acknowledgements Firstly, I would like to acknowledge my family for their support and patience with me during this journey. It has not been easy: both my time and temper have been short and my priorities shifted. Your support means the world to me. Secondly, I would like to acknowledge Dr. Anne Westhues, my advisor, as well as my committee members: Dr. Carol Stalker and Dr. Nancy Freymond. Thank you for believing in me and my abilities and giving me this opportunity. I would also like to thank the staff and children of the Guyana Red Cross Children's Convalescent Home for allowing me into their space and considering me as a part of them. And finally, to my Guyanese loves, Bo & Koby, "Just now". PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGIVERS Table of Contents Abstract i Acknowledgements ii List of Figures vi List of Tables vii Terminology 8 Chapter 1: Introduction 9 Chapter 2: Review of Literature 15 The Bad Orphanage 17 The Good Orphanage 38 Developmental Interrelatedness 50 Chapter 3: Theoretical Framework 53 Autoethnography 54 Ecological Systems 57 Chapter 4: Research Methodology 61 Research Questions 61 Research Design 62 Sampling 62 Data Collection 63 Data Analysis 65 iv PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGIVERS Ethical Considerations 67 Limitations 68 Chapter 5: Results 70 Range of Opinions 71 What Makes a Good Orphanage/Children's Home? 72 A Nurturing Physical Environment 73 Staff Who are Well-trained and Suited to the Work 77 Greater Government Involvement 81 Challenges to Providing and Maintaining a Good Orphanage/Children's Home 84 Personal Reflections, Observations and Comments 88 Chapter 6: Discussion and Conclusion 93 Reduction of Exposure to a Stressor 94 Child Self-esteem 95 Negative Reaction Reduction 95 Positive Interpersonal Relationships 96 Social and Relational Activities 96 Physical Development 97 Emotional/Psychosocial Development 97 Cognitive Development 98 Attachment 99 V PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGIVERS Recommendations for Guyanese Orphanages 101 Conclusion 105 Appendix A 107 Appendix B 108 Appendix C 112 Appendix D 114 References 115 vi PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGP/ERS List of Figures Figure 1. Baby 'A' has signs of severe wasting and appears to be developing marasmus. (Bailey, S.C.,2004) 24 Figure 2. Baby 'B' shows signs of kwashiorkor, including loss of hair pigmentation and puffy cheeks. (Bailey, S. C, 2008) 25 Figure 3. The Transmission Model explains the relationship between parental internal working models and child attachment (from Berlin, 2005) 100 PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGIVERS List of Tables Table 1 21 PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGIVERS VII Terminology "...most of the homes now, I don't know if you can call it an orphanage 'cause orphanage is for people who don't have parents and most of the children have parents. You might find one or two that don't have parents, but the majority is children with parents. " - Interview B For the purposes of this thesis, I have decided to use the terms orphanage, home, and residential care institution interchangeably. The reason behind this melange is the mere fact that in Guyana, these terms are used synonymously because of the nature of their residential child care establishments. Children's homes in Guyana cater to vulnerable children, meaning that although some of these institutions do house children who have lost both mother and father, the majority of the children may have one or both living parents who either have chosen to no longer care for them (abandonment), who cannot care for them due to circumstances of poverty or who have been ordered by social services to place the children in the institute for any number of possible guardianship "infractions". PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGIVERS Chapter 1: Introduction In 2004 I was fortunate enough to receive a co-op placement with the Guyana Red Cross Society (GRCS). I was excited and nervous about the prospect of travel, but I had always thought that my dream job would be in international development and so I figured that my undergraduate years would be the best time to find out whether or not the career actually fit with my goals. I was to be the volunteer Administrative Assistant for the Children's Convalescent Home (CCH), a residential home located in Georgetown, Guyana, for orphaned, abandoned, neglected, abused and destitute children under the age of five. Of course I was excited. I love children and being an assistant would mean that I would have plenty of free time to play and interact with babies and young children and experience and delight in their developmental milestones (an area in which I had recently become obsessed). I had no inkling that this posting would change my life and my goals forever. Nor did I foresee that the Administrator would resign two weeks into my posting, leaving a 21-year-old me to administer a facility boasting 22 staff members and 30-odd infants and toddlers. Throughout my placement, I maintained an optimistic hope that my solo run would be temporary and that they would replace the Administrator in no time. Unbeknownst to me, they already had -with me! During my first four months as CCH Administrator, I bumped into some resistance to my newly inherited position. I was younger than most of the staff, some of whom had children my age or older, and age plays a large part in receiving respect in Guyanese society. In anticipation of running errands and playing with young children, I had packed mostly jeans and t-shirts - no business attire, which socially contradicted my position of authority to donors, staff, social workers and others seeking audience with "the person in charge". Being a foreigner, I was unaware of what management looked like in a Guyanese context and I was often misled by staff 10 PERSPECTIVES OF GUYANESE CAREGIVERS members and social workers who sought to benefit from my ignorance. Compounded by the fact that I was in a foreign country, away from my family and friends and forced to live with four strangers, I was tired and stressed. BUT, but, but, but...I loved every minute of it! Despite my challenges the GRCS found I did an outstanding job and asked me to return for a second placement (with a stipend no less!).