Stakeholders’ Perspectives of Enablers and Barriers to Successfully Implementing an Integrated Early Childhood Development Program in an Informal Urban Settlement in Kenya
Derrick Ssewanyana,
Marie-Claude Martin,
Vibian Angwenyi,
Margaret Kabue,
Kerrie Proulx,
Linlin Zhang,
Tina Malti,
Eunice Njoroge,
Carophine Nasambu,
Joyce Marangu,
Rachel Odhiambo,
Eunice Ombech,
Mercy Moraa Mokaya,
Emmanuel Kepha Obulemire,
Greg Moran,
Stephen Lye,
Kofi Marfo,
Amina Abubakar
Affiliations
Derrick Ssewanyana
Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
Marie-Claude Martin
Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
Vibian Angwenyi
Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
Margaret Kabue
Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
Kerrie Proulx
Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
Linlin Zhang
Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
Tina Malti
University of Toronto Mississauga, ON, Canada
Eunice Njoroge
Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
Carophine Nasambu
Centre for Geographic Medicine Research, Kilifi, Kenya
Joyce Marangu
Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
Rachel Odhiambo
Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
Eunice Ombech
Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
Mercy Moraa Mokaya
Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
Emmanuel Kepha Obulemire
Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
Greg Moran
Western University, London, ON, Canada
Stephen Lye
Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
Kofi Marfo
Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
Amina Abubakar
Centre for Geographic Medicine Research, Kilifi, Kenya
Integrated early childhood development (ECD) programs boost child health and developmental outcomes. However, the factors contributing to the successful implementation of such programs in informal urban settlements are not well researched. We conducted 14 focus group discussions and 13 key informant interviews with 125 caregivers of children under the age of 5 years and stakeholders, exploring their views on enablers and barriers to implementing an integrated ECD program in an informal settlement in Kenya. Strategic engagement, capacity building, transparency, fair compensation of ECD workforce, communication skills, and the need to tailor ECD programs to local realities were discussed. An equity-focused implementation approach for integrated ECD programs is timely.