ICDS Leadership Development: Systemic capacity building for implementing ECD

• In Event: ECE workforce and system development

Proposal

This paper speaks to the challenge of strengthening the SDG goal of ECD in LAMIC, by demonstrating a large-scale approach to improving the human resource capacity within the system. It describes a systemic capacity-building intervention for strengthening ECD implementation capacities within the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in India.

ICDS, the Central Government agency mandated to provide integrated developmental inputs to over 150 million Indian children under six years, is severely constrained by a pervasive lack of capacity to implement India’s National ECCE policy. Its nearly 3 million front-line workers have little knowledge of ECD and its nearly 70,000 officers, from state-level officials to sub-district functionaries, see their role as administrative, rather than as leaders and enablers of effective ECD delivery.

Capacity-building initiatives in ICDS have been largely rote-based or conducted by outside experts, with little understanding of the constraints, learning skills or context of the learners. Budgetary constraints have restricted the availability of trainers, resulting in huge back-logs. The supervisors and senior officers have rarely been trained and workers have little technical or motivational support. Thus, after over 40 years, ICDS has developed little understanding of ECD.

The challenge is huge. Few experts with knowledge of ECD and implementation strategies exist and they cannot provide learners the access to a knowledgeable coach during implementation.

Under the circumstances, ICDS must learn to use implementation itself as a boot-strapping capacity-building process. It is also good organisational practice: doing so requires the entire organisation to commit to learning through doing, and generates a lot of inspiring energy among people who are experimenting and experiencing new roles as learners and teachers.

CLR calls it “capacity-building for building capacity”. It has designed the multi-cycle ICDS Leadership Programme (ILP) as a fractal model to help operationalise this idea. Every individual in the organisation, acknowledges their role as a “triple-hat leader”, being trainer, monitor and coach to all their direct reports. The highest level officials, usually at district or sub-district level, who receive training and coaching from CLR experts for triple-hat leadership, in turn train and coach their direct reports to do the same. This cycle is repeated until the front-line functionaries are trained adequately. A training and support process called the “mindful cascade” minimises cascade loss, incorporating multiple cycles of manageable content through experiential training, feedback loops, reflective practice and peer-coaching, rather than rote transmission-based approaches.

For each operating level in the hierarchy, their direct supervisors become highly credible as monitors and coaches, since they have been their trainers. They also have the greatest opportunity to monitor and coach learners through regular contact with them as a part of their operational duties. Thus most training, monitoring and coaching are embedded into the existing routine of the system, rather than as specially convened events, dramatically reducing costs.

Supported by UNICEF, CLR implemented this intervention in two states, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh (UP) covering 5 districts each. In Chhattisgarh, it reached approximately 7,500 anganwadi workers (AWW’s), 280 supervisors, 30 CDPOs (Child Development Project Officers) at sub-district level and 5 DPOs (District Project Officers) at district level and, in UP, about 15,000 AWW’s, 400 supervisors, 50 CDPOs and 5 DPOs. Both the ILPs were assessed through a baseline and mid-line evaluation for quality of ECD in the AWCs and perceived effectiveness of intervention by program participants. In Chhattisgarh, child development milestones and quality of internal training conducted by officials was also assessed.

In both the states, the quality of ECD was assessed on the basis of 100 AWCs using a structured observation tool called the Early Learning Processes Assessment (ELPA). In Chhattisgarh the impact on developmental milestones was assessed through comparison of pre and post intervention data from 200 children between 4 to 6 years of age. This data was collected based on an interactive assessment of children called the Child Development Milestone Assessment (CDMA) which allowed direct observation of their responses to the activities. Trainings were observed through a semi-structured observation using the Training Quality Assessment (TQA) for 18 participants at the CDPO and supervisor level in Chhattisgarh to examine the impact of the intervention on the quality of training. Interviews were conducted 10 and 12 participants combining DPOs and CDPOs in Chhattisgarh and UP respectively, to examine perceptions about the intervention.

In both the states key improvements at the level of quality of ECD included, a) the development of an organized, attractive and child friendly physical environment in AWCs where there was no place to run ECD activities, b) implementation of ECD activities across developmental domains with varying degrees of quality c) a considerable positive change in the emotional climate of the anganwadi, especially in terms of practices such as shouting at or beating children.

In Chhattisgarh, the child development milestones showed improvement in fine-motor, cognitive and oral language skills, pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills, creative and emotional skills. While high quality training skills were yet to be achieved in Chhattisgarh, it was interesting to find that CDPO’s and Supervisors had shed their initial inhibitions to enact and role-model various ECE activities.

In both states, results showed positive perceptions about the programs and its outcomes such as, a) greater understanding about early childhood education, b) a personal connect to the children, c) greater willingness to master ECD activities and conduct trainings, d) more supportive and collegial environment, e) Improved children’s attendance and interest and f) greater community support.

A key challenge reflected in the evaluation was administrative bottlenecks arising out of low ownership at the state-directorate level. To meet this challenge, we have now proposed institution at the state level of an ECD cell whose capacities would be built to lead the state-wide ECD program, promoting greater vertical and horizontal coordination within the system.

Through participation at CIES we seek to exchange experiences around similar interventions. We hope to explore new partnerships in the area of funding and research, especially those that may help in more robust evaluation of our interventions.

Authors

• Anandita Ghosh, Centre for Learning Resources,

• Aparna Chakravorty, Centre for Learning Resources

• Harini Raval, Centre for Learning Resources

• Chittaranjan Kaul, Centre for Learning Resources

• Anaga Ramachandran, NYU