Radner et al., 2018(3)
|
To offer concrete suggestions for innovators and decision makers to use, modify, and continue the transition for impact at scale. |
Review |
Saving Brains portfolio, containing 84 innovative strategies in low- and middle-income countries |
To improve child development outcomes in the first 1,000 days of development |
Home visits, services in clinics, community centers and daycare centers of unspecified duration |
Community health workers, community members, or non-medical professionals |
Children in the first 1,000 days of life |
Fidelity, appropriateness, penetration, sustainability |
Álvarez, et al., 2016(19)
|
To evaluate the impact of implementing the Growing Up Happily in the Family program on parenting skills and children’s development |
Unspecified |
Growing Up Happily in the Family |
To promote child development by improving parental skills and family learning environments |
Weekly 90-minute groups for 4 to 5 months, or 9 weekly 90-minute home visits for 4 months |
Facilitators |
Children aged 0 to 5 years |
Fidelity, acceptability, appropriateness, adoption |
Aronna, 2006(20)
|
To identify the conditions for implementing the Programa Materno Infantil y Nutrición – PROMIN (Mother and Child and Nutrition program) in Rosário, Argentina |
Case study |
Programa Materno Infantil y Nutrición - PROMIN (Mother and Child and Nutrition program) |
To reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality and promote the psychosocial development of children between 2 and 5 years of age |
Total duration of 3 years, but dose was not specified |
Unspecified |
Children with malnutrition and age < 6 years |
Acceptability, appropriateness, penetration |
Atashbahar et al., 2021(21)
|
To identify the factors that affect the policymaking process for early childhood development and clarify how these factors affect decision-making and create challenges in this regard |
Qualitative study |
Development of integrated early childhood development (IECD) policies |
To develop integrated child development policies to promote a safe environment for children and their families |
Unspecified |
Services and strategies that provide primary health care, adequate nutrition, education and nutrition |
Children up to 8 years of age |
Feasibility, appropriateness, incremental cost |
Barboza et al., 2018(22)
|
To investigate the content of meetings between families and professionals during home visits and gain a deeper understanding of how it relates to the concepts of proportional universalism and equitable development in early childhood |
Qualitative study |
Postnatal Extended Home Visit Program |
To decrease risk factors while increasing protective factors for children’s well-being and health by strengthening parental self-efficacy and health |
Up to 6 visits, 15 months |
Nurses from the child health care team + parental advisor from the local social service |
First time parents |
Fidelity, acceptability, appropriateness |
Bawani, et al., 2021(23)
|
To investigate the role of teacher training in the implementation of Botswana’s Pre-primary Curriculum Framework (PCF) in Francistown |
Qualitative study |
Pre-primary Curriculum Framework (PCF) |
To promote professional development of teachers to achieve quality education, universal access to education, equitable education and lifelong learning |
Unspecified |
Department of Curriculum and Assessment |
Pre-primary school children |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility |
Beasley et al., 2021(24)
|
To understand the factors influencing the early program enrollment and involvement, as well as recruitment strategies that can be improved |
Qualitative study |
Legacy for Children |
To promote child development (cognitive, language, behavioral and socio-emotional development) and build maternal self-efficacy through support networks |
Total duration of 3 years, with 9 blocks of 10 consecutive weekly sessions with 4-6 week-intervals after each session |
Bilingual and bicultural group leaders |
Latina mothers of children up to 3 years old |
Acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness |
Berry et al., 2000(25)
|
To identify barriers and facilitators to implementing child development services in healthcare institutions managed by Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MMCOs) |
Qualitative study |
Child development programs or services in MMCOs |
To evaluate programs and services in different MMCOs with different objectives |
Unspecified |
Nurses, obstetricians, pediatricians, social workers, speech therapists, physical therapists, office staff, counselors, case managers |
Pregnant women and childcare workers |
Acceptability, appropriateness, adoption, sustainability |
Berry et al., 2008(26)
|
To assess the feasibility and success of the Assuring Better Child Health and Development (ABCD) program |
Qualitative study |
Assuring Better Child Health and Development (ABCD) |
To expand and improve the delivery of child development services to low-income children through the health sector in four US states |
Unspecified |
The four selected states were free to design any child development program |
Children under age 3 enrolled in Medicaid |
Feasibility, appropriateness, penetration |
Bingham et al, 2016(27)
|
To examine the implementation of an early literacy intervention - Systematic and Engaging Early Literacy (SEEL) - in literacy |
Quasi-experimental study |
Systematic and Engaging Early Literacy (SEEL) |
Promote kindergarten children’s literacy skills as phonological awareness skills |
Unspecified |
Teachers |
Kindergarten children |
Fidelity, acceptability |
Black et al., 2015(28)
|
To analyze the impact of integrated interventions on linear growth and cognitive development |
Review |
Interventions integrating nutrition and child development presented at the Scientific Sessions of the American Nutrition Association Annual Meeting held in 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Children under 5 years old |
Fidelity, appropriateness, penetration, adoption |
Buccini et al., 2021(29)
|
To analyze barriers and facilitators of the implementation, expansion and sustainability of the Programa Criança Feliz (“Happy Child” Program PCF) from the point of view of key informants at the federal and state levels |
Case study |
Programa Criança Feliz (“Happy Child Program”) |
To teach parents how to provide early childhood learning opportunities by helping them develop responsive parenting skills |
Weekly home visits for children under 3 years old and monthly visits for pregnant women |
Supervisors and home visitors |
Pregnant women and caregivers of children under 36 months in socially vulnerable or at-risk situations and children under 72 months with disabilities |
Fidelity, acceptability, penetration, adoption, sustainability |
Canada, 2009(30)
|
To examine design and implementation issues, initial progress in achieving immediate objectives, and issues related to accountability |
Formative assessment |
Understanding the Early Years (UEY) Initiative |
To identify gaps in services and programs for young children and their families and to develop a Community Action Plan |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Children aged 5 years entering preschool |
Fidelity feasibility, appropriateness, penetration, adoption |
Cavallera et al., 2019(31)
|
To identify barriers and facilitators to scaling ECD projects |
Qualitative study |
Early childhood development projects in low- and middle-income countries |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Children in early childhood |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, penetration, sustainability |
Corter et al., 2008(32)
|
To examine the use of the early development instrument as a cumulative assessment tool and a formative tool for improvement of the Toronto First Duty (TFD) program |
Case study |
Toronto First Duty (TFD) |
To offer integrated services developed in public schools, combining actions for children with kindergarten and daycare centers, and support for parents |
Unspecified |
Schools (involvement of teachers, childcare professionals, management, etc.) |
Children throughout the first 6 years of age |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility |
Culp et al., 2004(33)
|
To assess implementation fidelity and parenting outcomes when infants were one year old |
Evaluation study |
Unspecified |
To teach about child development and parenting, child and maternal health, and modeling parenting skills |
Weekly visits for the first month (28 weeks of pregnancy) and then biweekly for the rest of the pregnancy. When babies were born, weekly visits for the first three months; biweekly from 3 to 21 months; and monthly from 21 to 36 months |
Child development specialists |
Pregnant women who would be mothers for the first time were monitored until the child’s first year of life |
Fidelity |
Draper et al., 2021(34)
|
To document the dissemination process of the South African Guide and report the feasibility and acceptability of implementing dissemination workshops |
Mixed methods evaluation study |
24-hour South African movement guide |
To disseminate the guide to end users |
Unspecified |
Community-based organizations team |
Caregivers of children aged 0-5 years and caregivers in school centers |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness |
Draper et al., 2019(35)
|
To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based intervention - Amagugu Asakhula |
Pilot study |
Amagugu Asakhula |
To promote caregivers’ ability for the promotion of health and development of preschool-age children |
Intervention during six weekly home visiting sessions |
Community Health Agents |
Women caregivers of preschool children aged 3-5 years in a low-income environment |
Acceptability |
Drummond et al., 2002(36)
|
To evaluate a home support program for at-risk mothers and their children |
Evaluation study |
Parent Support Program |
To develop parental capacity and child development skills in young families living in risk situations |
2±4 hours per week are offered through home visiting programs, parenting support and children’s programming at the center. Employees may provide 15±20 hours of service per week to meet with family members, ranging from 4-6 weeks to less than 6 months |
Multidisciplinary program with a primary health focus (e.g. immunization, child nutrition, antenatal health, postpartum recovery) |
Children aged 0-3 years |
Fidelity |
Duggan et al., 1999(37)
|
To evaluate the Hawaii’s Healthy Start Program (HSP) after two years of implementation and follow-up of families |
Evaluation study |
Hawaii ‘s Healthy Start Program (HSP) |
To prevent child abuse and neglect and promote health and development in newborns of families at risk for poor child health outcomes |
Three years with weekly visits at first, gradually decreasing to quarterly visits as family functioning improves |
Home visitors (trained but unlicensed professionals), recruited from the community with essential qualities to work with vulnerable families |
Parents and newborns in vulnerable situations (at risk of child abuse or neglect) |
Fidelity |
Duggan et al., 2018(38)
|
To describe the services provided to families and how these services vary depending on the characteristics of families, home visitors, local programs, other home visiting stakeholders, and communities |
Mixed methods evaluation study |
Four models of home visits delivered by US Departments of Health: Early Head Start; Healthy Families America; Nurse-Family Partnership; and Parents as Teachers |
To promote early childhood through home visits to families |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Mothers and pregnant women aged 15 or over and children up to 6 months of age |
Fidelity, acceptability, appropriateness, incremental cost |
Ealy, 2017(39)
|
To investigate the feasibility of adapting and implementing the Building Early Emotional Skills (BEES) curriculum |
Viability study |
Building Early Emotional Skills (BEES) |
To promote self-awareness exercises that help parents understand their children’s behaviors and attitudes |
Weekly home visit |
Unspecified |
Children aged 3-30 months in Mexican immigrant families |
Feasibility, appropriateness |
Elsey et al., 2020(40)
|
To deepen and broaden understanding of the demand for childcare centers, and explore the feasibility of delivering the intervention (a daycare center) |
Mixed methods evaluation study |
Child care centers |
To implement child care centers |
10 months |
Team of centers |
Children up to 5 years old |
Acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, sustainability, incremental cost |
Folger et al., 2016(41)
|
To evaluate the effectiveness of community home visiting improvement to strengthen home visiting participation and improve Every Child Succeeds program impact |
Retrospective, quasi-experimental study |
Community-based enrichment home visiting (CBE-HV) |
To promote the engagement of families in home visits anchored in community strengthening |
Weekly home visits in the first and last four weeks of antenatal care, and biweekly for the rest of pregnancy. Subsequently, home visits occurred weekly and eventually decreased to monthly visits |
More than 70% of visits were carried out by a primary agency |
Children from 0 to 3 years old |
Fidelity, acceptability, appropriateness, adoption |
Fracolli et al., 2018(42)
|
To report the experience of implementing the Young Mothers Caregiver Program of Home Visits |
Case study |
Young Mothers Caregiver Program of Home Visits |
To promote parenting through home visits in five axes of care |
The average number of visits to be performed by period: 10-15 visits during pregnancy; 4-6 visits in the postpartum period; and around 40 home visits between the child’s 2 months to 18 months of age. In total: 58-63 visits every two weeks |
Nurses |
Teenage mothers entered the program from 8-16 weeks of pregnancy and should remain until the child completed 18 months old |
Acceptability, feasibility, penetration, adoption |
Gaitán-Rossi et al., 2019(43)
|
To assess PROSPERA DIGITAL (PD) implementation fidelity using six dimensions; adherence, quality, responsiveness, intervention complexity, facilitation strategies, and program differentiation |
Qualitative study |
PROSPERA DIGITAL (PD) |
To promote advice and guidance through mHealth platform via SMS messages about maternal health and child care, nutrition and breastfeeding, appointment reminders, and medical vaccinations |
SMS text messages are sent during pregnancy and the first 2 years of the baby’s life |
mHealth platform |
Pregnant women and children up to 2 years of age |
Fidelity |
González-Fernández et al., 2020(44)
|
To compare the improvement in the health and development of children aged 0-3 years between communities that created community and home gardens and promoted conscious nutrition and meal preparation workshops to improve caregiver-child interaction in peripheral settlements of Lima |
Prospective before-and-after intervention study |
Wawa Illari |
To improve the health and development of children, including a food security perspective |
18 months (study period) |
Community health promoters |
Children aged 0-3 years |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness |
Hewer et al., 2006(45)
|
To determine if the implementation of the early literacy program in Geraldton, Western Australia contained the characteristics of previously implemented effective programs. |
Mixed methods evaluation study |
Early Literacy Program |
To improve literacy development in early childhood by providing parents with appropriate book and information about reading to children |
The package of materials is given to parents of babies during their routine 7-9 months exam |
Children’s health clinics and nurses |
Parents of children attending the child’s 7-9 months routine exam |
Fidelity acceptability, appropriateness, adoption |
Jack et al., 2015(46)
|
To adapt and evaluate the Nurse–Family Partnership (NFP) home visiting program |
Qualitative case study |
Nurse–Family Partnership (NFP) |
To promote parenting skills through home visits |
It begins during pregnancy and continues until the child is two years old |
Nurses |
First-time mothers, socially and economically disadvantaged |
Fidelity, feasibility |
Jahir et al., 2021(47)
|
To examine the facilitators and barriers to implementing an intervention integrating child stimulation and maternal and child health interventions in rural Bangladesh |
Randomized Controlled Trial |
Integration of Nutrition, Early Childhood Development and water, sanitation, hygiene (RINEW) |
To deliver integrated health, child development and sanitation interventions for pregnant women and caregivers of children up to 15 months of age |
Total duration of 9 months with a total of 18 sessions: 9 in group, 9 home visits |
Community health workers deliver group sessions or home visits |
Pregnant women and caregivers of children up to 15 months of age |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness |
Kavle et al., 2019(48)
|
To describe the implementation process of the baby-friendly community program in the Kenyan health system |
Descriptive study |
Child-friendly community initiative |
To promote breastfeeding, complementary feeding and maternal nutrition with a focus on supporting reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child health and nutrition interventions to prevent maternal and child mortality |
From October 2014 to December 2017 |
Ministry of Health with technical assistance from the Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) and UNICEF |
Pregnant, breastfeeding and grandmother caregivers assisted in five counties in Kenya |
Fidelity, penetration, adoption, sustainability |
Khan et al., 2017(49)
|
To explore the implementation of ECD intervention in primary-level private healthcare facilities in Pakistan |
Mixed methods evaluation study |
Structured clinical counseling session in combination with community strengthening activities |
To promote maternal skills, nutrition and stimulation of early childhood and mothers’ mental health |
A 10-minute session when the child was <6 weeks, at 3 months, 6 months and 9 months of age |
Clinical assistants and physicians |
Mothers with children aged <6 weeks to 9 months |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, adoption |
Kisker et al., 2002(50)
|
To describe implementation experiences of the 17 research programs of the Early Head Start program (EHSP) between 1995/1996 and 1999 |
Evaluation study |
Early Head Start program (EHSP) |
To promote improvement of issues related to child and family development |
Unspecified |
Child care teams |
Families and children aged 0-3 years |
Fidelity acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness |
Kitsao-Wekulo et al., 2021(51)
|
To describe the development of a cell phone application for use among caregivers [of children] and determine the feasibility and preliminary impact on the child’s developmental progression |
Cross-sectional study |
Messaging application |
Helping young mothers respond to their children’s development needs in a timely manner |
12 months with monthly messages about ECD milestones and instructions on how to stimulate the child if the milestones were not being reached |
Cell phone app and community health volunteers |
Caregivers of children between 6 and 24 months |
Acceptability, feasibility |
Kohli-Lynch et al., 2020(52)
|
To describe human resources and curriculum content for implementing Responsive Caregiving and Early Learning (RCEL) projects in several low- and middle-income countries using data from the Saving Brains portfolio |
Mixed methods evaluation study |
Responsive Caregiving and Early Learning (RCEL) |
To improve brain development by preventing brain injuries, promoting stimulating and responsive environments, and/or protecting children from developmental risk factors |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Children in the first 1,000 days of life |
Fidelity, appropriateness |
Krippel et al., 2020(53)
|
To determine the feasibility and effectiveness of the Baby TALK and Parents Interacting with Infants (PIWI) interventions among families of at-risk young children and identify potential barriers to implementing these two interventions in the State of Illinois, USA |
Pilot study with pre- and post-intervention evaluation |
Integration of two interventions: Baby TALK (home visiting service) and PIWI (home visiting service and play groups in a children’s school) into the CU Early program |
To provide preventive services that respond to a family’s risk factors and specific needs with a view to positively impacting child development in children from antenatal care to three years of age, while enriching the relationship between parents and children |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Parents of children ages 0 to 3 years “at risk” for school failure and health problems |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility |
Larson, 2000(54)
|
To assess barriers and facilitators of the Even Start program for the Department of Education in the State of Maine, USA |
Mixed methods evaluation study |
Even Start |
To meet the learning needs of the entire family using an integrated educational model that includes early childhood education, adult literacy, and parental education |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Families most in need in their districts |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness |
Leer et al., 2019(55)
|
To describe the implementation of home visiting programs in seven countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru |
Qualitative study |
Home visiting programs |
To provide caregivers with the information and skills needed to promote their child’s health development and learning through a series of home visits |
Visits were observed throughout four months. At least five visits, average duration of 40 to 56 minutes each; one of the locations had an average visit duration of 18 minutes |
Trained healthcare professionals or professionals |
Caregivers and children. Age was not described, but children observed in ECD programs were aged 16.2-26.5 months on average |
Fidelity, acceptability |
Love et al., 2009(56)
|
To assess the quality, intensity and implementation of the second phase of the Los Angeles Universal Preschool Program (LAUP) |
Descriptive study |
Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) Program |
To achieve LAUP quality criteria in all preschools |
Unspecified |
Public (both traditional and charter) and private preschools and schools, Head Start centers, and child care homes |
Schools with 4-year-old children |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility |
Lucas et al., 2018(57)
|
To describe the Care for Child Development (CCD) program and determine where and how the CCD has been implemented and identify modes of delivery |
Review |
Care for Child Development |
To assist caregivers in building relationships with young children and solving comprehensive care problems |
Variable, usually a counseling appointment, and follow-up afterwards |
Counselors, who are health professionals, educators, community health agents, etc. |
Children up to 5 years old |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, penetration, sustainability |
Luoto et al., 2021(58)
|
To assess the determinants of Msingi Bora implementation, including program uptake and fidelity of delivery, and its association with parent and child outcomes in rural Kenya |
Mixed methods evaluation study |
Msingi Bora |
To promote early childhood development (cognitive, language and socio-emotional development) through group activities with parents that include activities around responsive play and talking to children. |
12 group sessions plus 4 evaluation meetings. Biweekly meetings. |
Community health volunteers |
Female caregivers aged 15 or over and children aged between 6 and 24 months |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, penetration, sustainability |
Manz et al., 2017(59)
|
To examine the impact of the Little Talks program integrated into Early Head Start home visits and monitor intervention fidelity and provide biweekly performance feedback to home visitors |
Experimental study |
Little Talks |
To strengthen infants’ and toddlers’ language and their emerging literacy skills for use in home visiting programs |
Twenty-four lessons are designed for integration into home visits, with various combinations of speech acts (requests or dispositions) along with an increasingly complex sequence of content foci (labels, events, personal experiences, character feelings) |
The intervention was delivered by home visitors from the existing program (Early Head Start) |
Low-income parents of children under 3 years old |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility |
Mckay, 2006(60)
|
Unspecified |
Evaluation study |
Training through the Strengthening Developmental Surveillance and Referral Practices of Child Health Providers project |
To educate child health providers (pediatrics and family health providers working in primary care) in the early detection and identification of developmental and behavioral issues in childhood and in the use of the Help me Grow referral system |
Trainings were brief, but the duration was not specified |
Health professionals with community work in the area of child health |
The average age of children cared for by trained professionals was 23 months |
Fidelity, feasibility, penetration |
McKay et al., 2006(61)
|
To report the experience with the design and implementation of the ChildServ program and implications for subsequent program expansion |
Case study |
ChildServ |
To increase early detection of development problems from existing initiatives |
Unspecified |
Child health professionals, health department managers, parents’ groups |
Children up to 4 years old |
Feasibility, acceptability, incremental cost |
Meier et al., 2017(62)
|
To describe and compare an overview of ECD policy and practice in South Africa and Turkey |
Comparative case study |
Programs aimed at ECD promote or support children’s development, including groups of children in education centers and/or the community, or home-based programs |
To promote ECD |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
In South Africa, children between birth and nine years of age. In Turkey, children aged 0-6 years |
Fidelity, appropriateness, penetration |
Meyers et al., 2019(63)
|
To describe the findings on the feasibility and degree of implementation of the CASEL model in 14 educational team leaders, who were supported by coaches in social and emotional learning |
Part of a large cluster randomized trial |
PATH |
To implement a curriculum on social and emotional learning |
Two years |
Coaches and school leaders |
Teachers of 1st-3rd grade students |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility |
Morelli et al., 2014(64)
|
To identify challenges for tracking development in low-income urban contexts and assess the feasibility and acceptability of these strategies |
Exploratory mixed methods study |
Development tracking |
To prepare pediatricians to establish developmental screening with parents during regular office visits |
30 months. Child development tracking took place at 9-, 18-, 24- and 30 months-visits |
Pediatricians (residents and assistants) |
Caregivers of children up to 30 months and pregnant women over 36 weeks of pregnancy |
Feasibility, acceptability |
Morrison et al., 2018(65)
|
To explore the factors that affect presence/attendance and follow-up in follow-up appointments of the Thai national development monitoring program and work out ways to overcome them |
Action research, using qualitative methods |
Development tracking |
To monitor child development |
Monitoring child development at each vaccination visit at 9, 18, 30 and 42 months and counseling of caregivers |
Health professionals |
Tests on children up to 42 months |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, adoption |
Murphy et al., 2018(66)
|
To review implementation research for ECD programs (targeting children 0-8) in humanitarian settings |
Qualitative review study |
Early childhood interventions in conflict and post-conflict settings |
To promote learning activities and learning activities between parents and children |
Group sessions for psychosocial support for mothers in combination with home visits; story telling activities for children and giving them a toy to hug and offer care; group sessions with a “parents make a difference” theme combined with home visits |
Unspecified |
Age of target children in studies ranged from 6 months to 7 years |
Fidelity, acceptability |
Nair et al., 2020(67)
|
To analyze implementation and adaptations in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program |
Pilot study |
Integrated Child Development Services program (ICDS) |
To increase parental involvement in childcare and assess the impact on child development |
Total duration of 1 year, with monthly meetings with parents |
Community workers at child care centers |
Fathers and mothers of low socioeconomic status and their children aged 0 to 3 years |
Fidelity, acceptability, appropriateness |
Natale et al., 2020(68)
|
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Jump Start |
To promote socio-emotional development and minimize behavioral difficulties in children |
Duration: each session lasted approximately 45 minutes Frequency/Intensity/Dose: 10-12 sessions |
Specialists in emotional and social support |
Children aged 1-5 years in educational centers located in low-income regions and belonging to multi-ethnic groups |
Fidelity, acceptability, penetration, adoption, sustainability |
Nicholson et al., 2010(69)
|
To examine changes between pre- and post-intervention and variations according to implementation location |
Evaluation study |
Sing & Grow |
To promote positive parenting and child development through music therapy |
Ten 1-hour sessions held weekly for groups of 8-12 parent-child dyads |
Clinicians |
Parents in vulnerable situations, from the birth of the child until the age of 3 years |
Fidelity, acceptability |
Nores et al., 2018(70)
|
To understand the quality of implementation of the aeioTU program, and support a process of continuous improvement in Colombia |
Evaluation study |
aeioTU |
To provide home visiting and childcare services at most of its centers |
Services are offered 11 months of the year and serve children for 9 hours a day |
Teachers and teacher assistants |
Children aged 0 to 5 years |
Fidelity, acceptability |
Ogegbo et al., 2020(71)
|
To examine ECD teachers’ perceptions of the use of technology in early childhood classrooms in South Africa |
Qualitative study |
Information and communication technologies (ICT) |
To provide mobile and desktop systems as well as interactive toys and Internet-enabled technologies that act as solutions for consumption in interactive media and popular culture by young children |
Unspecified |
Early childhood education teachers |
Children in early childhood classes |
Acceptability |
Pal, 2020(72)
|
To examine the coverage and quality of implementation of the preschool education (PSE) under the Integrated Child Development Services program (ICDS) |
Descriptive study |
Preschool Education (PSE) |
To prepare children to face formal schooling |
Unspecified |
Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) |
Children aged 3-6 years |
Fidelity, penetration |
Paulsell et al., 2002(73)
|
To assess program implementation and quality of services for child development in the 17 research programs of the study |
Does not describe |
Early Head Start |
To provide intensive services starting before birth and focusing on improving child development and support for families with home visits and ECD services. |
Each project designs its own program with intensity and duration |
Each project designs its own program |
Families with children from before birth to 3 years old |
Fidelity, feasibility |
Peisner-Feinberg et al., 2020(74)
|
To examine local variations in state implementation of Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (PA PKC) in relation to program regulations and early learning standards |
Implementation study |
Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (PA PKC) |
To provide high-quality preschool to children who lack opportunities or reside in environments that place them at risk for academic failure |
Unspecified |
Unspecified |
Children aged 3-4 years who lack opportunities or live in environments that put them at risk of academic failure |
Fidelity, acceptability, appropriateness |
Pérez-Escamilla et al., 2018(75)
|
To examine the process of scaling up ECD programs in four major countries through application of the Complex Adaptive System (CAS) framework |
Qualitative study |
Chile: Chile Crece Contigo (ChCC) India: Integrated Child Development Services program (ICDS) South Africa: Grau R Bangladesh: Shishu Bikash Kendra (SBK) |
To promote ECD |
Each program has its own design with intensity and duration |
Programs provide universal and differentiated interventions in school, community and home environments |
Chile: < 4 years; India: < 6 years: South Africa: 4,5-6 years; Bangladesh: 0 to adolescence |
Fidelity, adoption, sustainability |
Ponguta et al., 2019(76)
|
To characterize the implementation and evaluation of the Mother-Child Education Program Among Refugee and Other Vulnerable Communities (MOCEP) in Beirut |
Intervention study using mixed methods |
Mother-Child Education Program Among Refugee and Other Vulnerable Communities (MOCEP) |
To promote positive parenting practices (such as reducing harsh discipline) and improve young children’s school readiness |
25 weekly sessions between groups of mothers, each lasting approximately 3 hours |
Unspecified |
Mother, or other female primary caregiver who could read and write Arabic with a child between 2 and 7 years of age |
Fidelity, acceptability, penetration |
Rao et al., 2018(77)
|
To analyze the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program in India and discuss challenges in expanding the implementation based on results from national studies |
Review |
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) |
To improve the nutritional and health status of children; ensure a solid foundation for their psychological, physical and social development; reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and improve the capabilities of caregivers in relation to children’s health and nutritional needs; and achieve effective interdepartmental coordination of policy and implementation |
Provide six community services related to nutrition, health, preschool and education |
Unspecified |
Children under 6 years old |
Fidelity, penetration, feasibility, adoption |
Richer et al., 2018(78)
|
To describe the ECD program for Indigenous families developed in Cree territory in Quebec, and analyze the factors that influence the work of Indigenous family supporters |
Unspecified |
Mashkûpímâtsît Awash |
To maximize the health and well-being of pregnant women, children and their families by acting on the network of social determinants of health for indigenous people |
First antenatal consultation/visit and continues thereafter. The frequency of consultations/visits depends on the needs of each family |
Family supporters from the community itself |
Indigenous families from Cree territory. There is no minimum or maximum age, it starts during pregnancy and extends to the whole family |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, incremental cost |
Rusu et al., 2019(79)
|
To examine the attitudes and practices of a group of family physicians responsible for health supervision of the program called Citesc Zilnic in outpatient clinics in the county of Cluj, Romania |
Exploratory study using mixed methods |
Citesc Zilnic (Always Ready, free translation) |
To promote child development through literacy |
18 months |
Family physicians |
Children in early childhood |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness |
Sahoo et al., 2016(80)
|
To evaluate the operational aspects of implementation and use of the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) program in a rural area of Odisha in eastern India |
Cross-sectional study |
Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) |
To improve nutrition and health status of children by providing complementary nutrition and immunization; establish foundations for the child’s psychological, physical and social development through preschool education; reduce the incidence of disease burden through appropriate referral; improve mothers’ self-care capacity through health education |
Unspecified |
Female worker trained for the role, and an assistant |
Children under 6 years old; pregnant and breastfeeding women |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, penetration |
Sandler et al., 2000(81)
|
To evaluate program process and outcomes for children, families, staff, and community after five years of implementing the Phoenix Early Head Start program |
Formative assessment |
Early Head Start (Arizona version) |
To provide ongoing, intensive and comprehensive child development and family support services to vulnerable families and their children from birth until children turn three |
Weekly home visits and group activities take place monthly |
Program team |
Pregnant women aged 13-19 years, pregnant with their first child or with babies up to six months old, with follow-up of the child for up to three years |
Fidelity, acceptability, penetration, sustainability |
Sandler et al., 1999(82)
|
To document and analyze the program, participant data, and processes of the third year, or second full year of implementation of the Phoenix Early Head Start program |
Formative assessment |
Early Head Start (Arizona version) |
To provide ongoing, intensive and comprehensive child development and family support services to vulnerable families and their children from birth until children turn three |
Weekly home visits and group activities take place monthly |
Program team |
Pregnant women aged 13-19 years, pregnant with their first child or with babies up to six months old with follow-up of the child for up to three years |
Fidelity, penetration |
Shah et al., 2020(83)
|
To assess the feasibility and acceptability of integrating Sit Down and Play (SDP) in Karnataka, India |
Prospective study using mixed methods |
Sit Down and Play (SDP) |
To educate caregivers about the importance of playing and interacting with a child to promote early childhood development in a healthcare setting serving a predominantly rural population in India |
10-minute sessions with caregivers while waiting for their childcare appointment |
SDP providers |
Caregivers of children under 2 years old |
Acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness |
Singla et al., 2015(84)
|
To analyze barriers and facilitators related to implementation processes (content, training, supervision and delivery) from the perspective of agents and supervisors and mothers participating in the parenting program |
Community -Based Randomized Trial |
Integrated sessions on child development, maternal mental health and visits to assess the living environment |
To promote relevant educational and parenting practices related to stimulation, hygiene and diet, and prevention of worsening of mothers’ depressive symptoms |
12 integrated child development and maternal mental health sessions |
Community educators supervised by the team of the responsible organization |
Mothers and fathers (in separate sessions) of children aged 12-36 months |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility |
Sitati et al., 2016(85)
|
To analyze if there were differences between private and public early childhood education centers in adherence to guidelines of the government service standards in providing physical facilities in Kakamega County, Kenya |
Investigation |
Standard guidelines on providing physical facilities for ECD programs |
To promote physical facilities for ECD programs |
Unspecified |
Physical facilities in classrooms, furniture, water, sanitation and play facilities |
Preschool children aged 3 to 6 years |
Acceptability, feasibility, adoption |
Slemming et al., 2021(86)
|
To reflect on experiences of implementing a new intervention in a complex environment to increase the frequency of ultrasound services during antenatal care |
Randomized clinical trial |
To increase the frequency of antenatal ultrasound services with information on child development |
To improve child development and growth, breastfeeding practices, mother/father-infant bonding, maternal and paternal well-being, and routine clinical care |
12 months (approximately) in total. Each participant had 3 visits: (1) <25 weeks pregnancy; (2) 6-week postnatal follow-up; and (3) 6-month outcome assessment |
Trained sonographers and occupational and physical therapists trained in child development |
Pregnant women and children up to 6 months |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility |
Smith et al., 2018(87)
|
To identify necessary modifications to training materials and procedures, and understand how the Reach Up program was received by delivery agents, parents and facilitators, as well as challenges to implementing the program |
Unspecified |
Reach Up |
To improve child development by building mothers’ skills in fun, helping their children play and learn, and improving mother-child interactions |
Fortnightly home visits lasting 20-50 minutes |
Home visitor |
Children 6-48 months of age |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness |
Thompson et al., 2004(88)
|
To evaluate the outcome of the national Healthy Steps program when babies were three months old and discuss the implications of the findings for families, clinical practice, health systems, policies and future research |
Descriptive study |
Healthy Steps |
To expand health care practices for infants and young children; promote developmental and behavioral support for pediatric practices in primary care |
Families had 5-8 meetings with the specialist |
Healthcare professional |
Children aged 0 to 3 months |
Acceptability |
Toll, 1976(89)
|
Unspecified |
Evaluation study |
Pre-kindergarten Head Start (Philadelphia) |
To improve the child’s physical and emotional health, their family relationships and their abilities to function better as a person, based on increasing their ability to think, express themselves and relate in a more meaningful way with the environment |
Unspecified |
Trainers and Teachers |
Teachers, parents and 3 and 4-year old students |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility |
Tomlinson et al., 2018(90)
|
To describe the implementation of the maternal and child health home visiting program, Philani+, and lessons learned from its implementation to facilitate the planning of upcoming interventions |
Case study |
Philani Mentor Mothers Program |
To promote, through home visits for maternal and child health, training of mothers to become community health agents (mentors) in their communities |
Unspecified |
Community health agents |
Pregnant women |
Fidelity |
Tomlinson et al., 2020(91)
|
To review implementation evidence for three of the most common types of programs to promote child development (home visits, parent groups, and daycares and education centers) and document how resources and implementation context can influence the effectiveness of programs |
Review |
Home visits, parenting groups (community-based or facility-based), and community daycare centers |
To promote ECD |
Unspecified |
Trained and untrained professionals |
Children under 5 years of age |
Fidelity, feasibility, sustainability |
Torres et al., 2018(92)
|
To identify lessons to replicate and scale up the Chile Crece Contigo (ChCC) program at the national and subregional level |
Case study |
Chile Crece Contigo (ChCC) is a complete, intersectoral and multicomponent policy (social protection system) |
To help all children reach their full developmental potential, regardless of their socioeconomic status. It combines universal and targeted benefits |
For as long as needed |
Unspecified |
Children up to 4 years old |
Sustainability, feasibility |
Walker et al., 2018(93)
|
To characterize implementation, including content, training and supervision of staff, and resources required in Jamaican health services |
Cluster randomized trial |
Parental interventions by health services |
To use interactive strategies with demonstration of behaviors and activities, practice by parents, and encouragement and feedback to promote positive parenting |
Fortnightly 30-minute home visits. In addition, presentation of short films lasting 20 minutes (6 weeks, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months of age) |
Community health agents and primary care services |
Children between 6 weeks and 18 months of age |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility |
Weinstock et al., 2012(94)
|
To measure the impact of a caregiver training in the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) on child development and the program quality |
Cluster randomized trial |
Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) |
To train about infant/toddler development and educate about practices that facilitate healthy and sensitive development for children’s different communities, cultures, and languages of origin, promoting relationship-based care that meets the needs of children at each stage of development |
64 hours of training and 40 hours of training (4 hours of monthly meetings) or other local support (coaching) for each participating nursery or group over 10-18 months |
Program instructors, who are certified professionals in the method with higher education |
Individual childcare centers (with at least five staff participating in training) and small groups of childcare providers for children under 3 years old |
Fidelity, acceptability, adoption |
Westerlund et al., 2017(95)
|
To assess factors that may affect the initial implementation of the International Child Development Program (ICDP) in primary care in Sweden |
Case study |
International Child Development Program (ICDP) |
To improve parental care competence, parent-child interactions and attachment patterns |
Unspecified |
Primary care |
Parents and children aged 0 to 6 years served by health centers |
Acceptability, feasibility |
Yeasmin et al., 2021(96)
|
To explore factors affecting attendance, active participation, and adoption of behavioral recommendations in the RINEW intervention package |
Qualitative study |
Research on Integration of maternal and child nutrition, early childhood development, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (RINEW) |
To promote child development through components focused on child stimulation, maternal and child nutrition, mental health, sanitation and prevention of lead exposure |
Groups and monthly home visits of unspecified duration |
Community health agents |
Children < 2 years |
Fidelity, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, penetration |
Yousafzai et al., 2014(97)
|
To analyze the implementation processes of interventions that integrate nutrition and psychosocial stimulation for children under 5 years of age in low- and middle-income countries |
Systematic review |
Nutrition and psychosocial stimulation interventions, including 4 delivery strategies: home visits, community group sessions, clinic visits, and large-scale programs |
To promote ECD |
Weekly or fortnightly interventions, with home visits lasting 30 minutes to 1 hour for 8 weeks in one study and in the others, they ranged from 6 to 36 months. Groups in the community: one or two contacts; and interventions in clinics: 5 to 10 additional minutes during children’s consultations |
Unspecified |
Parents of children under five years of age |
Fidelity, acceptability |
Yousafzai et al., 2018(98)
|
To evaluate barriers and facilitators of adoption, quality and fidelity of implementation of the psychosocial stimulation intervention in combination with the enriched nutritional intervention in the National Program for Family Planning and Primary Health Care |
Mixed methods study |
Pakistan Early Child Development Scale-Up |
To integrate a new ECD (responsive stimulation) intervention and strengthen existing nutrition services, which is critical to optimizing development and growth outcomes |
Monthly home visits |
Women community health workers |
Children under 2 years old |
Fidelity, acceptability, appropriateness, penetration |
Zaidi et al., 2018(99)
|
To describe facilitators and barriers to multisectoral work on nutrition initiatives aimed at promoting ECD in Pakistan |
Mixed methods study |
Multisectoral actions in nutrition initiatives aimed at ECD |
To promote child well-being |
Unspecified |
Government bodies, international agencies and other non-governmental agencies |
Preschool children |
Adoption, incremental cost |