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Parents Make the Difference: Findings from a randomized impact evaluation of a parenting program in rural Liberia

This report presents findings from a parenting intervention that was implemented in post-conflict Liberia, where young children face many of the risk factors identified as detrimental to their development. In 2012–2013, the IRC implemented a parenting intervention, called Parents Make the Difference, in Lofa County, Liberia. The IRC collaborated with Duke University to undertake an impact evaluation of the program using a randomized controlled trial design. The evaluation assessed the impact of the program on the following outcomes: 1) caregivers’ parenting practices; 2) children’s cognitive, social, and emotional outcomes; and 3) malaria prevention behaviors.  The report recommends to the Government of Liberia that they pilot the delivery of the intervention through the existing government workforce (e.g., Social Welfare Officers) and a cadre of paraprofessional staff. It also recommends that they invest in building the capacity of line ministries and county and district department staff on the theory and principles underpinning parenting interventions; build a cadre of professional and paraprofessional staff who are trained in the delivery of the intervention and provide ongoing mentoring and supervision and ensure that delivery of the intervention through the government workforce is rigorously evaluated to determine if positive results are replicated.

Author(s): 
International Rescue Committee
Year of Publication: 
2014
Program themes: 
Geographic location: 
Resource Type: 
Gray literature
Language: 
English
Section: 
Resource Database