Policy Brief What Works to Improve Outcomes for Children?: A rapid evidence assessment of cash plus programmes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, informed by Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) strategies AUTHOR(S) Anil Thota; Richard de Groot; Ebele Mogo; Tia Palermo; Keetie Roelen; Nyasha Tirivayi; Frank Otchere; Valeria Groppo; Shivit Bakrania; Benjamin Hickler Published: 2023 Policy Brief Cash transfers are a type of social protection that help to reduce the effects of poverty. They are typically delivered in the form of cash or vouchers that beneficiaries can use for various expenses in the same way as earned income.While cash-transfer programmes have shown positive effects on important first-order outcomes, such as food security, household consumption and education, there are limits to the effectiveness of cash transfers alone in addressing all development needs. Many interventions have had inconsistent or no impact on other important well-being outcomes, such as child nutrition, early marriage, health-seeking behaviour, and sexual and reproductive health.In order to improve the effectiveness of social protection in addressing these multidimensional needs, cash transfers are modified to cash-plus interventions by combining them with additional elements, such as in-kind resources, behaviour change interventions and links to other social services. SBC components of cash-plus interventions aim to address the drivers of behaviours that affect children’s well-being.The aims of this rapid evidence assessment are:• Assess the effectiveness of cash transfers combined with social and behaviour change (SBC) components to improve outcomes for children• Identify which types of SBC are effective in improving outcomes• Identify the contextual factors that are necessary to successfully deliver cash-plus interventions with SBC components + - Cite this publication | Thematic area: Child Poverty, Social Policies | Tags: behavioural change, cash transfers × COPY BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION Anil Thota; Richard de Groot; Ebele Mogo; Tia Palermo; Keetie Roelen; Nyasha Tirivayi; Frank Otchere; Valeria Groppo; Shivit Bakrania; Benjamin Hickler 2023 What Works to Improve Outcomes for Children?: A rapid evidence assessment of cash plus programmes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, informed by Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) strategies.
Innocenti Research Briefs Improving Children’s Health and Nutrition Outcomes in Ethiopia: Qualitative midline evaluation of the ISNP in Amhara AUTHOR(S) Maja Gavrilovic; Erin Cullen; Essa Chanie Mussa; Frank Otchere; Tia Palermo; Sarah Quinones; Vincenzo Vinci Published: 2022 Innocenti Research Briefs Integrated social protection programmes are increasingly being pursued as more effective and efficient ways to improve children’s health and nutrition outcomes. UNICEF Ethiopia is implementing a pilot Integrated Safety Net Programme (ISNP) in the Amhara region of Ethiopia aimed at integrating a cash transfer (through the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP)), a health insurance (the Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI)), social and behaviour change communication (on nutrition, feeding practices, sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, and child marriage), and case management (for malnourished and out of school children). The ISNP implementation began in early 2019. Knowing that integration comes with its own challenges in terms of planning, coordination, harmonization of systems and tools, and the alignment of budgets, this qualitative study sought to understand the status of implementation, emerging challenges, and potential remedial actions to ensure the intervention achieves the stated objectives. The study shows that while there is progress, more action is needed in terms of implementing the planned management information system (MIS), ensuring adequate and well trained frontline workers are in place, further improving harmonization of targeting tools, and increasing budgetary allocation. + - Cite this publication | No. of pages: 4 | Thematic area: Social protection | Tags: behavioural change, cash transfers, child health, child marriage, child nutrition, reproductive health, social protection × COPY BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION Maja Gavrilovic; Erin Cullen; Essa Chanie Mussa; Frank Otchere; Tia Palermo; Sarah Quinones; Vincenzo Vinci 2022 Improving Children’s Health and Nutrition Outcomes in Ethiopia: Qualitative midline evaluation of the ISNP in Amhara. , pp. 4.
Innocenti Research Report Improving Children’s Health and Nutrition Outcomes in Ethiopia: A qualitative mid-line evaluation of the Integrated Safety Net Programme in Amhara AUTHOR(S) Maja Gavrilovic; Erin Cullen; Essa Chanie Mussa; Frank Otchere; Tia Palermo; Sarah Quinones; Vincenzo Vinci Published: 2022 Innocenti Research Report Integrated social protection programmes are increasingly being pursued as more effective and efficient ways to improve children’s health and nutrition outcomes. UNICEF Ethiopia is implementing a pilot Integrated Safety Net Programme (ISNP) in the Amhara region of Ethiopia aimed at integrating a cash transfer (through the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP)), a health insurance (the Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI)), social and behaviour change communication (on nutrition, feeding practices, sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, and child marriage), and case management (for malnourished and out of school children). The ISNP implementation began in early 2019. Knowing that integration comes with its own challenges in terms of planning, coordination, harmonization of systems and tools, and the alignment of budgets, this qualitative study sought to understand the status of implementation, emerging challenges, and potential remedial actions to ensure the intervention achieves the stated objectives. The study shows that while there is progress, more action is needed in terms of implementing the planned management information system (MIS), ensuring adequate and well trained frontline workers are in place, further improving harmonization of targeting tools, and increasing budgetary allocation. + - Cite this publication | No. of pages: 97 | Tags: behavioural change, cash transfers, child health, child marriage, child nutrition, reproductive health, social protection × COPY BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION Maja Gavrilovic; Erin Cullen; Essa Chanie Mussa; Frank Otchere; Tia Palermo; Sarah Quinones; Vincenzo Vinci 2022 Improving Children’s Health and Nutrition Outcomes in Ethiopia: A qualitative mid-line evaluation of the Integrated Safety Net Programme in Amhara. , pp. 97.
Miscellanea Best of UNICEF Research 2022 AUTHOR(S) UNICEF Innocenti Published: 2022 Miscellanea Best of UNICEF Research showcases the most rigorous, innovative and impactful research produced by UNICEF offices worldwide. While evidence highlights emerging issues, it also informs decisions and provides policy and programme recommendations for governments and partners, to improve children's lives.This year, Best of UNICEF Research celebrates its 10th edition. It features 12 research projects that the selection panel concurred deserved special recognition for delivering results for children in 2022. How? By informing decision-making, shaping policy, raising public awareness, driving social change, and giving children and young people a voice on the issues that affect them most through participatory research. These endeavours showcase both the power of innovation in the face of emergency and crisis, and the virtues of agility, endurance and scalability. They also offer solutions and ways to learn from each other. Each piece of research offers a set of adaptable tools: validated methodologies; templates for emergency response plans; methods of monitoring and measuring progress; and examples of successful collaboration between stakeholders. + - Cite this publication | No. of pages: 124 | Tags: access to education, adolescent girls, adolescents, behavioural change, breastfeeding, child diseases, child mental health, child protection, climate change, communicable diseases, COVID-19, COVID-19 response, data analysis, data collection, disease control, disease prevention, drinking water, early childhood development, early childhood education, education, electronic data processing, employment of women, epidemiology, evaluation, female genital mutilation, gender discrimination, gender equality, gender issues, gender-responsive programmes, hygiene, infant feeding, innovations, malnutrition, maternal and child nutrition, mental health, mental health services, nutrition policy, nutrition programmes, primary health care, reproductive health, research, sanitation, sexual violence, social norms, water, water resources × COPY BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION UNICEF Innocenti 2022 Best of UNICEF Research 2022. , pp. 124.
Innocenti Discussion Papers Ethical Considerations When Applying Behavioural Science in Projects Focused on Children AUTHOR(S) Karen Tindall; Lydia Hayward; Emma Hunt; Benjamin Hickler Published: 2021 Innocenti Discussion Papers Evidence increasingly shows applied behavioural science can positively impact childhood development and contribute to reducing inequalities. However, it is important for practitioners to reflect on the ethical considerations. For example, are you confident that the intervention is unlikely to have unintended harmful consequences? Or, is it easy for child recipients to opt out of the intervention?To better understand these impacts, we consulted children in Australia, Chile and Ghana, interviewed subject matter experts and practitioners, and conducted a targeted literature review. This paper distils our findings and provides examples of how evidence-based interventions can meaningfully impact children’s futures. It is accompanied by a toolkit to guide and support practitioners through key ethical decision points. + - Cite this publication | No. of pages: 64 | Tags: behavioural change, behavioural sciences, ethical research, ethics × COPY BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION Karen Tindall; Lydia Hayward; Emma Hunt; Benjamin Hickler 2021 Ethical Considerations When Applying Behavioural Science in Projects Focused on Children. , pp. 64.