Save the Children Nepal (SC) adapted the ICDP programme in order to deliver it to parents and caregivers of their Child Grant package, aiming to improve parenting behaviour for the wellbeing of the targeted children. SC first implemented ICDP in 2018, in a pilot project which brought encouraging evidence. Since then, the ICDP programme has been expanding through SC collaboration with local governments. SC focuses on evidence generation to influence the government of Nepal.
In 2020, due to difficulties caused by COVID-19, SC adopted different methods to continue with the roll out of the ICDP programme. They conducted ICDP Facilitator’s training through Zoom meeting, used the radio to broadcast ICDP messages and organized meetings of caregivers in person but with smaller numbers of participants and with appropriate safety measures in place.
SC implemented ICDP in 3 municipalities by mobilizing 40 facilitators who reached 893 parents, including 66 fathers. In addition, the facilitators undertook 72 home visits to support ICDP parenting practices at home. The follow up meetings with parents allowed facilitators to strengthen the ICDP skills and knowledge that parents had acquired and to empower them to raise this agenda with their local governments. A total of 284 parents were visited during the follow up.
Realizing that trained mothers needed support from others such as fathers, in-laws and other neighbours to better apply their ICDP skills and knowledge with their children, SC started to organize separate meetings with fathers, as well as providing ICDP sensitization to different communities. There were 13 community events during which ICDP sensitization was given to family members, neighbours, local teachers, child protection committee members and children at child club members. This orientation programme played an important role in enhancing the level of understanding of parent-child relationship, of the effect of malnutrition and neglect on a child. A total of 331 people participated in this programme.
ICDP with fathers
A qualitative research study of ICDP conducted in 2018, recommended father’s involvement in a especially adapted ICDP package. The ICDP team at SC has since then developed a compressed ICDP agenda in order to conduct meetings with fathers. A total of 66 fathers received ICDP training.
| Districts | Municipality | # of Facilitators involved | # of caregiver’s groups | # of fathers |
| Mahottari | Bardibas Municipality Gaushala Municipality | 6 5 | 3 groups 5 groups | 25 41 |
ICDP radio drama
During 2020, SC aired a short radio drama on the ICDP parenting programme named “Yo awasar pani ho” (“This is an opportunity too”). It was broadcast through local FM stations in SC’s project area, namely in the Jajarkot, Kalikot, Mahottari, Dolakha and Kavre districts. The main objective of this radio programme was to raise parents’ awareness about using the lockdown period as an opportunity for spending quality time with their children. The drama was based on the ICDP guidelines. The radio programme benefitted a population of about 35,600.