Following Promoted Child Care Practices

This is a composite indicator summarising the extent to which targeted caregivers follow childcare practices promoted by the project, such as giving children food on their own plate (to ensure they eat their share); breastfeeding even when the mother is ill (e.g. with a cold); or ensuring that the child does not stay in areas contaminated by animal faeces.

Determine the indicator's value by using the following methodology:

1) Define a limited number (4-6) of the most important childcare practices (including child feeding) that will be / have been promoted by the project. Examples of such practices are: giving children small snacks (e.g. local fruit); giving children food on their own plate (to ensure they eat their share); breastfeeding even when the mother is ill (e.g. with a cold); or ensuring that the child does not stay in areas contaminated by animal faeces.

2) Include in your questionnaire questions assessing whether the respondents follow these selected childcare practices.

3) Decide on how many of such practices the caregivers need to practice in order to be considered as “following the promoted childcare practices” (e.g. at least 4 out of 6 practices).

4) Conduct individual interviews with a representative sample of caretakers assessing whether they follow the selected childcare practices.

5) Count the number of respondents who follow the pre-defined minimum of the promoted childcare practices (see point 3 above).

6) To count the indicator’s value, divide the number of caretakers following (at least) the pre-defined minimum of the promoted childcare practices by the total number of respondents. Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

1) In addition to reporting on the indicator’s value, also report separately on the percentage of respondents who follow the individual practices, for example:

- % of caregivers who breastfeed their children even when they are ill (e.g. with a cold, stomach issues, etc.)

- % of caregivers who provide their children with food on a separate plate

2)  The child’s mother is understood as the “caretaker” (unless her role was replaced by someone else). Only in specific cases do we first identify who the most influential caretaker in a household is and then interview them.