Findings from Evaluations of Group Parenting Education program in 3 Regions of Kenya: Effectiveness, lesson learned, and, programmatic implications.

• In Event: Parental engagement

Proposal

The quality of the caregiving environment provided by parents and other primary caregivers is a major determinant for children’s optimal development and learning in the early years. Key factors in ensuring a nurturing environment includes responsive caregiving, good health, adequate nutrition, safe environment, and opportunities for early learning. ChildFund in partnership with three of her local implementing namely Lake Region Development Program (LRDP), Eastern Community Development Program (ECDP), and Pioneer Child Development Program, and working closely with county governments of Migori, Kitui, and Nyeri, implemented the Responsive and Protective Parenting (RPP) program model in Kenya. The Long-term goal for RPP is to ‘ensure that infants and young children to have improved age-appropriate development and early learning outcomes and are protected at home and in their communities.’ The program model has three main intervention strategies targeting i) local partners and sub-national government, ii) community stakeholders (program mentors and facilitators) and iii) caregivers of infants and young children (IYC) age 0-5. The model is designed to be implemented over a period of 18 months, constituting 6 months of preparation and data collection and 12 months of direct program implementation. This presentation will share findings from two research - the baseline evaluation conducted in 2021, and an endline evaluation carried out in 2023 to identify changes in outcomes and output indicators between baseline and endline. This presentation therefore aims to generate more interest in valuable empirical evidence that has significant programmatic implications to strengthen programming for parents and caregivers of infants and young children, and key recommendations.

Author

• Damaris Wambua, ChildFund