ABSTRACT
Before collecting data from South Sudanese refugee children and parents settled in Uganda, I first illustrate a process for adapting an existing child development tool for the South Sudanese cultural context and emergency situation. While there are many tools assessing child development from western contexts, few tools are available that are adapted to African countries’ cultural contexts. No child development tool has been adapted considering humanitarian situations. As there are more than 60 tribes in South Sudan, all of whom have differing values and expectations for their children, this research delved into the cultural perspectives of the Dinka tribe. The Dinka tribe is one of the largest in South Sudan and the group of refugees that participated in the research. This chapter addresses the first research question presented in this book about the definition of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and child development from a South Sudanese cultural perspective. It outlines the process for developing a child development tool that is both culturally appropriate for the Dinka tribe in South Sudan and considers a refugee situation. This process can be used to adapt either the Ages and Stages Questionnaire version 3 (ASQ-3) or other child development assessment tools for other tribes, ethnic groups or countries. The tool itself can be used both in the refugee camps where the Dinka tribe reside and also in South Sudan.
