Early Childhood Development in Pakistan: A Human-Centered Design Approach to Empower Positive Parenting

Abstract

The early childhood development (ECD) provides a pivotal window of opportunity to lay the groundwork for a child's future. This study delved into the practices of caregivers with children aged 0-3 years, examining their engagement, challenges, and the consequential impact on childcare. Employing a human centered design (HCD) approach, the research embraced understand, empathize, synthesize, prototype, and testing phases. A mixed-methods strategy, including surveys, home observations, key informant interviews (KII), and focus group discussions (FGD), captured the knowledge, attitude practices (KAP), and perceptions of caregivers. Findings revealed entrenched gender inequalities in rural families, influencing caregiving practices where fathers predominantly fulfilled financial obligations. Less than 40% of parents engaged in activities like storytelling, demonstrating sensitivity to their child's needs, or actively playing and protecting them. The study adapted, contextualized, and tested parenting material, presenting it in diverse formats such as Vroom messages-based booklets, illustrations, animations, and video clips. Caregivers rated these materials highly, indicating their usefulness for child development and bonding. The project aimed to enhance our understanding of caregiving practices in remote Pakistani contexts, contributing valuable insights to parenting practices, service delivery, and caregiving structures. With implications for policy and practice, caregivers in targeted areas were empowered to foster positive relationships and supportive environments for young children. The study's recommendations, emphasizing contextually and culturally relevant, science-based learning resources, had the potential to scale up parenting programs and influence ECD outcomes and policies throughout Pakistan.