Evaluation of a community based early childhood education and development program in Indonesia

ISRCTN ISRCTN76061874
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN76061874
Secondary identifying numbers N/A
Submission date
31/10/2012
Registration date
07/11/2012
Last edited
21/01/2019
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Other
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English Summary

Background and study aims:
This study assess how well the community-based Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) Project works, that began in Indonesia in 2006. The aim of the project is to improve poor children’s overall development and readiness for further education.
The aim of the study is to determine whether children living in Project villages have the following, compared with children who do not live in Project villages:
1. Have greater access to Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) services
2. Have a higher participation rate in ECED services
3. Have a higher enrolment rate in school at earlier ages
4. Are more “school ready”
5. Have higher community awareness about the importance of ECED
6. Have higher persistent breastfeeding rates, improved nutrition, improved early childhood stimulation

Who can participate?
Households with children aged one to four years old and living in a village that has been selected for the study.

What does the study involve?
The study assesses how well the ECED Project works. It involves 100 villages that received grants as part of the ECED Project, 20 villages that were to receive the grants nine months later and 100 that were to receive the grants 18 months after the first set were issued. The study also involves 90 villages that would never receive block grants as part of the Project (these villages form the control group).
The data collection includes child observations and task based assessments as well as a questionnaires for the village head, households, and child caregiver.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participation in the study may raise the awareness of caregivers and others in the community about the importance of ECED and provide some ideas on how to improve the development of their children. There are no risks associated with participating in this study

Where is the study run from?
The study is based across nine districts of Indonesia. The study is run by a collaboration of researchers based at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Australia, the World Bank in Indonesia, VU University in the Netherlands, and the University of Gadjah Mada in Indonesia.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
Preparation for this study began in 2006. Data was collected in 2009, and then again in 2010. Final data collection is planned for early 2013.

Who is funding the study?
The World Bank, the Government of Indonesia, the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and AusAID - Australian Development Research Award.

Who is the main contact?
Sally Brinkman
sallyb@ichr.uwa.edu.au

Study website

Contact information

Ms Sally Brinkman
Scientific

Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
Level 8
31 Flinders Street
Adelaide
5000
Australia

Email sallyb@ichr.uwa.edu.au

Study information

Study designPragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial with a supplementary matched control group
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Other
Study typeQuality of life
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleEvaluation of a community based early childhood education and development program in Indonesia: A pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial with supplementary matched control group.
Study hypothesisThat, relative to the non-intervention group, participants in the experimental group of the study will:
1. Have greater access to Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) services
2. Have a higher participation rate in ECED services
3. Have a higher enrolment rate in school at earlier ages
4. Be more "school ready"
5. Have higher community awareness about the importance of ECED
6. Have higher persistent breastfeeding rates, improved nutrition, improved early childhood stimulation.
Ethics approval(s)Not provided at time of registration
ConditionEarly Childhood Education and Development
InterventionThe study is an impact evaluation of the Indonesian Early Childhood Education and Development Project. This project, implemented from 2006 to 2012, is financed through a credit from International Development Assistance by the World Bank and a grant from the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (a total of US$127.7 million). Block grants of approximately US$9000 were provided to 60 villages each with the greatest need for ECED services (selected by the highest number of children aged 0-6, proven interest in receiving the project, and high poverty rates). While oversight and coordination happened at the district and village levels, services were to be delivered most intensively in two dusuns (a dusun is a small community or sub-village within the broader village). Block grants could be used by villages to expand or enhance existing ECED services, to plan ways to increase the participation of poor children and families in ECED services, and/or to provide services which would comply with essential standards. In addition to receiving the block grants, each dusun put forward one teacher and one community development worker to receive district-level training in early child development, nutrition, and community driven development.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureThe primary objectives of this study are to establish the impact of the ECED Project on early childhood development outcomes, including:
1. The Early Development Instrument - a measure of school readiness across 5 domains of development
2. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - a behavioral checklist covering social and emotional problems and assets
3. The Dimensional Change Card Sort Task - a measure of executive function
4. Performance on a range of child tasks covering gross motor, fine motor, cognitive, and language skills.
5. Health and nutrition indicators, including food consumption, breastfeeding rates, height and weight measurements.
(All measured at baseline, midline and endline)
Secondary outcome measuresNo secondary outcome measures
Overall study start date01/12/2006
Overall study end date31/12/2013

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupOther
SexBoth
Target number of participants20 households in 300 villages across 10 districts of Indonesia (total number of participating households = 6369)
Participant inclusion criteria1. Households with children aged one and/or four years old and living in a study village
2. Individual respondents were the child’s primary caregiver, the head of the child’s household, the village midwife, the village head, and a representative of the posyandy (integrated child health services clinic).
Participant exclusion criteriaDoes not meet inclusion criteria
Recruitment start date01/12/2006
Recruitment end date31/12/2013

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Australia
  • Indonesia

Study participating centre

Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
Adelaide
5000
Australia

Sponsor information

Telethon Institute for Child Health Research (Australia)
Not defined

100 Roberts Road
Subiaco
6008
Australia

Phone +61 (0)8 9489 7777
Email info@ichr.uwa.edu.au
Website http://www.ichr.uwa.edu.au
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/01dbmzx78

Funders

Funder type

Government

The World Bank (USA)

No information available

Government of Indonesia (Indonesia)

No information available

Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Netherlands)

No information available

AusAID (Australia) ref: ADRA0800261
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
AusAID
Location
Australia

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol article protocol 16/08/2013 Yes No
Results article results of the impact of expanding access to early childhood education services in rural Indonesia 01/07/2017 21/01/2019 Yes No
Results article results of the role of preschool quality in promoting child development 04/07/2017 21/01/2019 Yes No

Editorial Notes

21/01/2019: Publication references added