Child labour remains a critical social issue in the UK, with recent statistics revealing approximately 3.4 million children living below the poverty line and at risk of exploitation (ONS, 2022). This reflective report examines our group project investigating this pressing problem, from initial research into government policies to developing awareness-raising interventions. Using Gibbs' Reflective Model, I analyse my personal contributions to the team effort, including policy research and creating educational posters, while reflecting on how this experience has deepened my understanding of socioeconomic inequalities. The project highlighted the vital importance of financial literacy programs for parents and accessible education initiatives in breaking cycles of poverty. Through this collaborative work, I gained valuable skills in teamwork, policy analysis and advocacy communication, while developing greater social awareness about the transformative power of education in addressing systemic inequalities. Our findings emphasise the need for coordinated action between government, NGOs and communities to protect vulnerable children and ensure their right to education.
For successful completion of an assignment, all the important factors which are affecting the project should be identified. The rest step before starting a project is to decide what the most suitable topic for the assignment. Various secondary sources of data collection have been used to understand the current situation and issues that are prevailing in the market. Through this, we have identified that child labor is a crucial problem existing in the UK. It has been identified that approximately 3.4 million children are living under the poverty line and are forced to work which is creating an issue in the UK (Statistics of child labor in UK, 2022). Once the problem is identified we focus on identifying various interventions through which this could be solved. Parents should be aware of the importance of financial literacy which will help in managing the income of the family and leave some income of the education of the children. It was a group activity so our teacher decided the group in which all needed to work together for completion of the assignment. For working in a group the core most important factor which is needed refers to teamwork. I have realized that each one should understand their work and coordinate with others for better completion of the task. So coordination and cooperation among the team members are crucial and each one should undertake their responsibility in the best possible manner. At the last, we focus on creating a poster that will focus on the importance of education and the impact of child labor on the countries' economies and their well-being.
Each team member was assigned several tasks on which they needed to collect all the relevant information. My contribution to the project was to determine all the policies that have been prepared by the government to improve the situation of children in the UK. I searched for various policies on the internet and then I evaluated the implications by comparing the current situation to prior situations. I have identified that some policies that were established were not been effective in providing benefits to all.
2.2 Process of making interventions
Gibbs' model of reflection will be used to describe my experience while completing the assignment. I understand the interventions as the various solutions that can be implemented to solve the situation prevailing in the market. The intervention consists of a process that helps to identify and analyze the issues and finding of a suitable course of action for achieving the same (Gilfillan, Robinson and Barrowman, 2020). The government and the NGOs would act as change agents and they will target the parents who can take the rest step in stopping child labor. In this project, the intervention that I have explained is educating the parents regarding the importance of education to the children which can make the parents take the initiative to send their children to school rather than sending them to work. I have also understood that the crucial factor that impacts the life of a child is the lack of finances within the family which makes them incapable of sending their child to school. The government should conduct various educational programs for free which make motivates parents to send them to schools. Learning resources should be provided by the government to low-income people which in turn helps in reducing educational disparities.
2.3 Analysing a significant moment
While preparing for the assignment, I understand the need for education in the life of an individual (O'Cathain, et. al, 2019). At the time of collecting the data regarding the condition of the children in the UK, I realized how easy my life is as I need not take the financial burden of the family and work hard to earn when I was a child. I also realized the struggle that the children in the UK are going through which is never a never-ending struggle in their lives. My perspective related to education has changed as now I understand how education can change the lives of all. I also understand the value of money and how much one needs to struggle to earn it.
3. Personal Learning Outcomes
Through this group activity, I have learned various new skills that will help me in the future in achieving my goals.
Coordination is an important element that is needed in every type of organization and industry. According to the Gibbs reflective model, by working in the group I understood how one needs to coordinate with the other so that it does not waste time and resources of the other. By coordinating with my group members I understood what others were expecting me to complete which helped in the reduction of confusion and con icts. This also helps in improving my research skills as I gather a bulk of information regarding the current status of child labor In the UK after analyzing the sources.
Further, with the change in time, the use of technology has increased and the importance of being well-versed in the features is very useful. While completing the assignment I have learned to make effective posters which help in the development of new skills. My interest in preparing posters has increased and in the future, I could make a career as a poster designer. Along with this, my ability To Make Assessments And Development Of Interventions About Specific Issues Has Also Been Improved By Working On This Project. Hence, Learning About All These Aspects Will Help Me In Performing Better.
References
Books and Journals
Gilfillan, D., Robinson, S.A. and Barrowman, H., 2020. Action research to enhance inter-organisational coordination of climate change adaptation in the Pacific. Challenges, 11(1), p.8.
O'Cathain, A., Croot, L., Duncan, E., Rousseau, N., Sworn, K., Turner, K.M., Yardley, L. and Hoddinott, P., 2019. Guidance on how to develop complex interventions to improve health and healthcare. BMJ open, 9(8), p.e029954.
Online.
Statistics of child labor in UK. 2022. Online Available through < https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/childvictimsofmodernslaveryintheuk/march2022#:~:text=In%20the%20year%20ending%20December%202021%2C%20the%20number%20of%20referrals,nationals%20(Dataset%20Table%204).>
