Displaying 1 - 10 of 19
Application of scientific findings to effective practice and informed policymaking is an aspiration for much research in the biomedical, behavioural, and developmental sciences. But too often translations of science to practice are conceptually narrow, ethically underspecified, and developed quickly as salves to an urgent problem. For developmental science, widely implemented parenting interventions are prime examples of technical translations from knowledge about the causes of children’s mental distress. Aiming to support family relationships and facilitate adaptive child development, these…
This study examined longitudinal data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized controlled trial of foster care as an alternative to institutional care following exposure to severe psychosocial deprivation. The authors report data from 135 participants assessed in early adulthood (age 18 y). They found that 16 years after randomization occurred, those who had been randomized to high-quality foster care had significantly higher IQ scores (9 points, 0.6 SD) than those randomized to care as usual.
Mediation analyses provide evidence that the causal effect of the intervention…
In 2015, early childhood development became part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These global goals include a commitment to ensure that, by the year 2030, all children will have equitable access to quality early childhood development and early learning opportunities.
SDG indicator 4.2.1 was chosen to specifically monitor the impact of government action towards this target, and UNICEF was tasked to lead the development of a measure to track progress.
That same year, UNICEF initiated a process of methodological development that involved extensive consultations with experts,…
Abstract
This chapter highlights the key assumptions underlying Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) and illustrates them with regard to the practice of RCTs in the realm of child and adolescent development. Given the prominence of RCTs in policy research, we analyze the possible ways in which these assumptions might not be met by single randomized experiments, thereby making it difficult to draw valid causal inference from single studies. We frame this discussion within the categories of internal validity, statistical conclusion validity, construct validity, and external validity and address…
Abstract
ChildFund International (ChildFund) is a child‐focused International Non‐Governmental Organization (INGO) which, since 1938, has worked with local implementing partners (LIPs), government, and other partner organizations to help create the safe environments children need to thrive. The purpose of this commentary is to reflect on the utility and possible application of the suggestions and study designs in this special issue to real‐life intervention studies in dynamic context settings. The commentary provides three regional case examples with evaluation study lessons learned from…
In 2017, the Displaced Children and Orphans Fund (DCOF) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) engaged the USAID-funded MEASURE Evaluation to build on and reinforce progress in advancing national efforts on behalf of children who lack adequate family-based care in Moldova. With the support of MEASURE Evaluation, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection (MOHLSP) conducted a participatory self-assessment of the national alternative care system. Specifically, the assessment measured Moldova’s status on implementation of the United Nations’ Guidelines for…
In 2017, the Displaced Children and Orphans Fund (DCOF) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) engaged the USAID-funded MEASURE Evaluation to build on and reinforce progress in advancing national efforts on behalf of children who lack adequate family-based care in Moldova. With the support of MEASURE Evaluation, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection (MOHLSP) conducted a participatory self-assessment of the national alternative care system. Specifically, the assessment measured Moldova’s status on implementation of the United Nations’ Guidelines for…
Background: The social-emotional development of young children is foundational to well-being and has long term effects including greater mental health, lessened likelihood of drug or alcohol abuse, and fewer relationship problems (Jones et al., 2017). Children in out-of-home care are at risk for social and emotional difficulties due to prior trauma, discontinuity of care, and the accumulation of health and emotional problems (Jee et al., 2010). As a result, monitoring their development in the child welfare system is crucial to ensuring they receive services to address developmental…
Background: Child development is complex and definitions and categorizations are not universal. This can make a cohesive approach difficult for the many parties who have a responsibility to support and encourage development in young children in out-of-home care. In order to align policy priorities and simplify decision-making, it is perhaps more appropriate to take a holistic approach to child development, to recognize the interconnectedness of domains, and to promote development as inclusive and continuous. Objective: This presentation explores the developmental assessment of young children…
UNICEF Innocenti's Handbook of Adolescent Development Research and its Impact on Global Policy, edited by Jennifer E. Lansford and Prerna Banati, aims to fill critical evidence gaps to speed evolution of better policy-making specifically tuned to this dynamic life stage.
The new handbook will be invaluable for a wide range of stakeholders working with adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. The volume tackles both the challenges and the promise of adolescence by presenting recent research on social, emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and physical…