Summary - Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and ...

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RECOMMENDATIONS The full report lists 22 recommendations under headings of process recommendations, impact recommendations, and recommendations related to bottlenecks (or constraints which affect kit effectiveness). Here we summarise the major recommendations. Process recommendations (n=9) These refer to the need for coordination and record keeping in terms of kit distribution, especially when multiple kits are distributed to partners and organisations. In cases where kits are scarce, distribution to disadvantaged NGOs and local organisations should have priority above distribution to international NGOs who have greater access to resources and experience. The involvement of education ministries in kit distribution and usage was seen to be an important factor for sustained ECD. Information that accompanies the kits should emphasise the benefits of consulting with local practitioners and community leaders to ensure that key cultural factors are incorporated within the delivery and design processes. Recommendations for information to accompany the kit include ideas for securing local materials to enhance and expand the kits’ contents and goals, and suggestions for parental involvement and potential transfer of responsibility for ECD programming to parent groups. Some recommendations address the kits’ contents. Users would appreciate more toys and ideas for stimulating activities for children aged 0-3 years. Respondents suggested that information about making musical toys and developing ‘books’ that reflect children’s immediate environment would be useful additions to the kit. Impact recommendations (n=10) Kits not only address immediate needs of children but can have long term sustained effects on a population. However two qualifications were given: training was seen as a critical need to ensure appropriate use of kits and to facilitate extended usage as entry points for a number of services; and adaptation of the kit to the current culture, setting, type and other contextual issues was seen as vital in order to ensure relevance and sustainability. Training and documentation associated with kits could address how the kit can be used in diverse ways. For example, kits can be used: √√ √√ √√ √√ √√ √√ √√ to promote school readiness and/or as a substitute for formal schooling when none is available. to support parent education. to support fathers in post-emergency contexts. to enhance disaster risk reduction strategies (development of an additional activity book that focuses on DRR and young children was recommended). to facilitate long-term care-giving habits, such as early stimulation. to support the viability of local, community-based programs as sustained ECD service providers. to facilitate coordination and networking among related sectors and advocate for government involvement to meet longterm ECD goals. Further research was also called for to identify effective training practices and to document successful adaptations of the kit and how these impact long-term ECD sector development in diverse contexts. The Use and Impact of ECD Kits Post-Earthquake Haiti 2010 <strong>Summary</strong> Document | 4
© UNICEF/HTIA2011-00375/Dormino Beyond providing opportunities for play, interaction, and stimulation of young children, the kits serve as entry points for facilitating access to child protection, health, nutrition, and sanitation services. CONCLUSION ECD kits have been shown to have great potential in emergency situations to foster the values of infant stimulation, to raise awareness about the needs of children in all developmental domains, and to encourage play and learning within families, structured ECD environments and communities. Major benefits can be garnered when training is consistent among all stakeholders at all levels and in all spheres (i.e., caregiver, family, community). Benefits and usage are also associated with opportunities to adapt kit materials to reflect local ways of working with children. Consulting with local practitioners and community leaders to ensure that key cultural factors are incorporated into ECD programs is highly recommended. The study indicated that, without training or capacity building, and without adaptations to reflect local concerns and issues, ECD programs are not likely to be sustainable beyond the life of the kits. The Use and Impact of ECD Kits Post-Earthquake Haiti 2010 <strong>Summary</strong> Document | 5
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Summary - Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and ...

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