Global Parenting Initiative Update July/August 2022
The third quarter of the GPI’s first year has seen a number of exciting developments: Work on many of our projects has begun in earnest, with our teams finalising their members, ethics being granted, and piloting results beginning to trickle in. Some of our teams have hosted webinars and launches, and have published their first papers.
We were also very proud to have our Covid19 Parenting Emergency Response work recognised at the Oxford Vice-Chancellor’s Innovation & Engagement Awards, where the Covid19 Parenting team won an award alongside the incredible work of teams such as the Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine research team.
Lastly, we are excited to be presenting a number of our projects and innovations at this year's SVRI Forum 2022 in Mexico.
Read on for our research news and updates
Themes
Innovate
Reporting by Elena Okada, IDEMS
ParentText
IDEMS has been busy with supporting multiple deployments this month. With ParentText launching in the Philippines on the 28th June 2022 through a Facebook channel, IDEMS has been assisting the initial 50 parent feasibility study with troubleshooting this month. In addition, we have been engaged in setting up a system in RapidPro for recruiting participants for qualitative interviews which has been unique to this deployment.
We are also gearing up for the launch of ParentText in Sri Lanka. Technical support will be high for this deployment as it is our first experience of launching in a language that does not employ the latin alphabet. Considering the challenging nature of translation, we have developed a Glossary system so that terms are translated consistently (a document which shall be employed in other similar language contexts such as in Myanmar). We also recognise the importance of sufficient training for translators and have begun the process of inductions for our software translation tool (CrowdIn).
In South Africa, whilst awaiting access to a Whatsapp delivery channel, we are also supporting efforts to design and deploy a unique 23 day ParentText programme (typical is 37 days) which will be specific to the prevention of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). The IPV version will be deployed through Telegram and will involve unique placement of IPV content earlier in the ParentText flow programming.
Following last month's deployment of ParentText in Jamaica we are also ensuring the team possesses tools for independent updates to the flows that drive the chatbot. In addition we have been supporting the team to develop a mental health poll for the Ministry of Health & Wellness in U-Report (the platform by which ParentText is accessed in this country context). Through our work with ParentText, our UNICEF counterpart has recommended IDEMS be included as a possible supplier for a sexual and reproductive health chatbot through Jamaica’s National Family Planning Board and funded by UNICEF / UNAIDS.
Across all of our initiatives we have also been examining means to encourage further engagement. This includes sending a reminder text after 7 days of non-engagement and further improving our content by cross comparisons between Parent Text (list of tips) and ParentApp (essential tools). Furthermore, we have been re-designing our survey questionnaire so that users are not confronted with a list of questions upon initial engagement with the chatbot. Embedding survey questions into various essential tips is something we wish to trial in future deployments of ParentText.
ParentApp
The month of July 2022 was busy for the entire ParentApp collaboration commencing with the Tanzania pilot as well as optimisation study preparation (in person workshop in South Africa). IDEMS led discussions on the development of two separate design and engagement versions. One version is based on the current look and feel of the app, which prioritises simplicity, encourages sequential content access and is time bound. The second we are developing is a new “modular skin” or variation to the original user interface and interaction which encourages customisability, content that can be accessed as needed (modular) as well as greater visibility regarding the completion of module content. For the second version we are experimenting with new features including a) a netflix style homescreen b) a drag-up toaster menu c) ParentPoints tied to a visual calendar system. We are extending the underlying app structures through the development of a task management system and as previously mentioned making strides towards synergising material across ParentText/ParentApp (including survey questions).
At the end of July our colleagues in Kenya from INNODEMS travelled to Tanzania to support the Mwanza pilot roll-out. The team supported National Institute of Medical Research colleagues with debriefing research assistants, supported the onboarding and collection of baseline data processes, as well as provided input into the surveys themselves. Our INNODEMS colleagues shall be sharing their learnings to Oxford/UCT counterparts. Similarly future feedback from the field is made further possible through the initiation of a new Google Form we are trialling which shall improve communication on a) bug fixes b) suggestion on improved features c) app components that are working well.
Facilitator App
IDEMS have held meetings with PLH counterparts regarding initial design efforts of the intended FacilitatorApp. The PLH team have been engaging with work-planning, desk review of similar applications as well as conducting key informant interviews.
The past few months have been very busy for the ParentText team, but we are very motivated by the progress that we have made. In exciting news, we have received ethics approval for the formative evaluation from both the University of Cape Town and the University of Oxford, so we have been given the green light to begin recruiting participants for interviews in September and October.
Accelerate
Reporting by Saara Thakur, GPI Scale-Up Manager
The Accelerate team has had a busy quarter. In the past few months, we have assisted Tanzania in creating a scale-up plan as part of a Wellspring Foundation proposal; conducted in-depth interviews with GPI project leads and partners on scaling strategy and are excited to have connected with a team who has adapted and piloted PLH for Young Children in rural China. We are also commencing our collaboration with MSI to create a scale-up strategy for chosen GPI countries, and have included the MSI scaling labs in THSN grant proposal for Malaysia.
Advocate
Reporting by Dr Isang Awah, GPI Advocacy Officer
It has been an exciting few months for the Advocate Team! We are thrilled to congratulate Prof. Lucie Cluver and Mr. Siyanai Zhou, who were awarded the ‘Prize for Excellence in Research Related to the Needs of Children and Adolescents’ at the 24th International AIDS Conference which was held in Montreal, Canada from July 29 – August 2, 2022.
We are also excited to be working as part of the GISP (The Global Initiative to Support Parents), an inter-agency vision to increase global support for parents and caregivers. Currently, the GISP Africa team is working on a compendium that synthesises the key learnings, messages and overarching trends from a recent convening (June 2022). The compendium is targeted at the academia, practitioners, researchers, and other partners.
In other news, the Policy Advocacy team met to discuss policy advocacy opportunities and key stakeholders for policy engagement. The team is organising an event (with the DSPI) to showcase evidence on violence prevention to external audiences. More to come on this.
The team would also like to extend a very warm welcome to Dr. Lina Digolo, who has joined the GPI to support the core and satellite studies with the development of customised research uptake strategies. She will be providing training webinars and ongoing mentorship. Lina has been introduced to core study leads and initial calls with teams have been scheduled.
Generate
Reporting by Laura White, PLH Social Enterprise
The PLH Social Enterprise has a number of exciting updates: We partnered with The Human Safety Net and Generali's professional development programme for employees to explore collaborative social enterprise opportunities for parenting and social insurance in Malaysia. Additionally, we developed a robust safeguarding policy for the charity in line with UNICEF requirements.
We are also pleased to welcome a summer intern who led work on optimising digital engagement, particularly for ParentText.
Africa
ParentText Optimisation and Evaluation in South Africa
Reporting by Paula Zinser, Research Manager, University of Oxford
The past few months have been very busy for the ParentText team, but we are very motivated by the progress that we have made. In exciting news, we have received ethics approval for the formative evaluation from both the University of Cape Town and the University of Oxford, so we have been given the green light to begin recruiting participants for interviews in September and October.
We have been working together with our existing partners to map and identify stakeholder organisations and key informants within these organisations. The purpose of the formative evaluation is to gain insights into how to embed ParentText into an existing delivery system to increase the scalability and longevity of the programme. Our stakeholder mapping has identified two sights for our formative evaluation within South Africa, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape. We are also planning to have stakeholder meetings with key informants from the education, health, and faith-based sector to increase our understanding of potential delivery methods to deploy and implement ParentText in South Africa. We are currently working on the protocol for our formative research, which will be uploaded to the Open Science Framework in the coming weeks. To assist with the next phase of research, we have hired a research assistant to join our team and we are also looking to hire another research assistant. We are very excited to be expanding our team!
Whilst we have been preparing for next phases of research, we have also been preparing for the pilot of ParentText in South Africa. The chatbot is ready to launch, and we are just finalising the WhatsApp channel together with UNICEF as well as the webinar and invite list for our Launch event. We hope to launch ParentText in September.
ParentApp for the Early Years, Tanzania
Reporting by Stefani Du Toit, Stellenbosch University
This year has been spent on several preparation activities in preparation for Work Package 1 to start in 2023. An online investigator meeting with PIs at the Institute for Life Course Health Research (ILCHR) and in-country Co-PIs was held to discuss the project and project timeline. An in-person meeting between PIs and Co-PIs is scheduled to take place in Dar Es Salaam on the 13th of September 2022. An ethics application is currently in preparation, which will first be submitted to Stellenbosch University Health Research Ethics Committee (HREC). After ethical approval is granted by the HREC, in-country ethics will be applied for at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in Tanzania. In parallel with the ethics application, the study protocol manuscript is currently being drafted.
ParentApp for Teens, Tanzania
Reporting by Ashlin Simpson, Project Manager, University of Cape Town
The ParentApp for Teens feasibility pilot in Tanzania is well underway. Data collection for the double baseline has been completed in one region with the second region starting at the end of August. Participants – fifty to date – receive a basic smartphone to enable them to start the programme whilst being supported through regular phone- or WhatsApp-based support from local implementing partner ICS. Partners are also busy with final preparations for the Optimisation Trial, which will launch in September where activities include significant design and development work to develop an alternate skin for the current app.
To support these exciting activities, the ParentApp for Teens team has also welcomed four new team members in August: Ashlin Simpson, Project Manager at UCT; Mwita Wambura, Research Manager at NIMR; Abigail Ornellas and Oluwaseyi Somefun, Post-doctoral Researchers.
Asia
Parenting Within the Public Health System in Thailand
Reporting by Chalermkwan Chutimam, PLH-Thailand Project Coordinator
The team welcomed three new members in August: Dr. Piya Hanvoravongchai (Assistant Professor at Chulalongkorn University); Wilaiwan Pongpaew (Chulalongkorn University) , and Dr Ora-orn Poocharoen (Assistant Professor at Chiang Mai University).
A successful partner meeting was also held with Boromarajonani College of Nursing to discuss collaboration, objectives and shared activities.
Parenting in Displacement in Thailand/Myanmar
Reporting by Stephanie Eagling Peche, Research Assistant
After finalising data collection for our formative research with caregivers and adolescents last month, the team is currently focusing on translating the materials from the focus groups, and preparing the script for our evidence-based parenting film. The research team is currently preparing an ethics application and study protocol for the next phase of research which is planned for early 2023.
Additionally, the team has completed formative research where we conducted 18 focus groups with adults and 6 focus groups with adolescents, and pilot tested an Audio-Computer Assisted Self-Interview with n = 10 participants from the community to test for feasibility of data collection method. We are also preparing a study protocol for the cluster randomised-controlled trial for publication.
In other news, we are excited by the development of a script for an evidence-based parenting film by our partners Sermpanya Foundation, in collaboration with the research team.
PLH Philippines
Reporting by Jennel Reyes, Principal Investigator
Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH) – Philippines continues to collaborate with government agencies to test and implement our Masayang Pamilya para sa Batang Pilipino (MaPa) or Happy Family for Filipino Child program.
In July, the PLH-PH training team conducted an online training series entitled “Masayang Pamilya Training Series for Foster Care Social Workers” held last July 18, 20, and 22. The 3-day training series was attended by social workers and program development officers from different regional offices nationwide and staff of the Adoption Resource and Referral Division (ARRD) of the Program Management Bureau (PMB) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
In another collaboration with the Program Management Bureau (PMB), the PLH-PH team, along with representatives of the Center Development Division (CDD), are currently preparing for the implementation of the Masayang Pamilya (MaPa) program in the context of residential care facilities. Similar to the program adaptation process conducted for the foster family context, parenting resources (e.g., training handbook) is being enhanced to include the experiences of house parents and children in the core MaPa messages. Such materials will be used in October for the 4-day training series for house parents in a sample of residential care facilities in the National Capital Region (NCR).
International
Ukraine Parenting
Reporting by Dr Isang Awah, GPI Advocacy Officer
The Ukraine Parenting team is pleased by the wide uptake of our resources, and are thrilled to announce that we now have the support of President Zelenskyy's wife (First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska).
Based on request, the Ukraine Parenting team is also hosting a series of “Train the Trainers” webinars for the Ukrainian Institute of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. The first webinar was held in July, with guest speaker Prof Jon Bisson from Cardiff University, and has been posted on the Ukraine Parenting website and also shared on the project YouTube channel. The next webinar is planned for the coming month. The team has also received requests from two other organisations including HealthRight (Ukraine War Relief) for similar trainings and is exploring the possibility of meeting these additional requests through the planned webinars for UICBT.
Our resources have also been adapted for in-person groups, with the addition of a mental health component, by our partner organisation, World Without Orphans. These “Hope Groups” have supported hundreds of women since they were established.
The team is also gearing up for two evaluations of the Ukraine Parenting Resources - of the original resources, and of the WWO adaptation used in the Hope Groups.
Lastly we wish team members Dr Isang Awah and Dr Yulia Shenderovich well in their presentation of the Ukraine Parenting Response at the EUSPR (European Society for Prevention Research) Conference 2022 which will be held at Tallinn, Estonia from 28- 30 September.
SUPER Study
Reporting by Genevieve Haupt Ronnie, Country Lead- Qualitative data collection
The SUPER team has made great strides in the data collection and analysis of case studies countries over the last 3 months. More specifically, data has been collected in Zimbabwe and Botswana and data analysis is ongoing in the DRC. In addition, SUPER hosted a successful Webinar on the 1st of July, "Learning from one another: Sharing lessons learnt in taking parenting to scale".
Webinar
The SUPER study hosted a very successful Webinar on the 1st of July, "Learning from one another: Sharing lessons learnt in taking parenting to scale". The webinar was attended by over 40 participants from all over the world. It focused on sharing experiences and lessons learnt through working with government in taking parenting programmes to scale. Two country partners we asked to share their detailed experiences and lessons learnt, namely Montenegro and the Philippines.
