Shaping Futures: The Impact of Socioeconomic Context on Children's Life Skills Development in Curaçao
Summary
This thesis explores how socioeconomic context shapes the development of life skills among elementary school children in Curaçao. Life skills, such as communication, empathy, and problem-solving, are essential for children’s growth and transition into adulthood. However, the development of such skills is influenced by the structural conditions and social environments that children grow up in. This research investigates how household circumstances and educational settings impact the development of life skills, using the UNICEF Life Skills framework. A qualitative research design was chosen to understand both children’s experiences and the perspectives of school staff. Data were collected through fifty-three semi-structured interviews with children from three elementary schools and educational staff, representing diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Participatory techniques, including drawing exercises, were used to enhance engagement with younger participants. Classroom observations were utilised to support the interview data.
The findings indicate that children’s life skills are shaped through a complex relation between home routines, caregiver support, school structure, and teacher practices. Children from lower-income households often demonstrated adaptability and responsibility but lacked consistent guidance and emotional support. Meanwhile, well-resourced schools provided structured opportunities for the development of self-awareness, collaboration, and resilience. Teachers highlighted the negative impact of too much parental involvement on children’s independence and agency. The study concludes that life skills development is deeply influenced by socioeconomic context, with unequal access to supportive environments creating inequality in children’s development. It contributes to development studies by framing life skills not just as individual traits, but as context-dependent capacities shaped by everyday social environments. The research demonstrates that educational strategies need to include inclusive approaches which understand and respond to structural differences.