Influence of child-headed families on socio-emotional development of pre-school learners in Musengo zone, Kitui County, Kenya

Abstract

Families provide conducive environments which necessitate acquisition of self-esteem, self-confidence, self identity, self awareness and self-efficacy amongst learners in ECDE centers. However, Pre-school learners, in Musengo zone have manifested and continue to manifest low intrapersonal skills, low interpersonal skills and poor leadership skills thus; this research aimed at investigating the influence of child headed family formations on social emotional development of learners in ECDE centers in Musengo zone, Kitui West Sub- County, Kitui County. The study was guided by four objectives which included; to investigate roles and responsibilities of children who head families; to examine the influence of child headed family formations on the development of interpersonal relations; to establish the statistical relationship between child- headed family formations and leadership skills and to establish the influence of child headed family formations on the development of intrapersonal skills among pre-school learners in Musengo zone. The study employed descriptive survey design in that; it utilized both elements of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The study used purposive sampling to select ECDE teachers, head teachers, parent reprentatives and ECDE learners. The study used questionnaires to gather information from ECDE teachers, interview guides to collect information from head teachers, parent representatives and observation schedules for ECDE learners. Data collected was put in simple tables, and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The study established that, there is a significant relationship between roles and responsibilities of children heading families and their social emotional development of pre-school leaners. It further established that, there is a significant relationship between child headed family formations and development of interpersonal relations among pre-school learners. The study found out that, there exists a relationship between child headed families and leadership skills. Finally, it was established that, there is a relationship between child headed family formations and development of intrapersonal skills. The researcher recommends that, the government and all strategic partners should objectively support the orphaned and vulnerable children and mentor them so that they develop leadership skills, interpersonal skills and intrapersonal skills.