Browsing by Author "Ward, Catherine L."

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Early intervention : a foundation for lifelong violence prevention
    (Institute for Security Studies, 2015-03) Skeen, Sarah; Tomlinson, Mark; Ward, Catherine L.; Cluver, Lucie; Lachman, Jamie M .
    High levels of violence affect every family in South Africa. Exposure to violence starts early, in both the home and community. There are high levels of physical abuse of children, and the national under-five homicide rate is more than double that of other low- and middle-income countries. Rates of violence are particularly high in poorer communities in the country, and many children already made vulnerable by poverty are also at risk from increased exposure to violence.
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    Evaluating the dissemination and scale-up of two evidence-based parenting interventions to reduce violence against children : study protocol
    (BMC (part of Springer Nature), ) Shenderovich, Yulia; Ward, Catherine L.; Lachman, Jamie M.; Wessels, Inge; Sacolo-Gwebu, Hlengiwe; Okop, Kufre; Oliver, Daniel; Ngcobo, Lindokuhle L.; Tomlinson, Mark; Fang, Zuyi; Janowski, Roselinde; Hutchings, Judy; Gardner, Frances; Cluver, Lucie
    Background: Eliminating violence against children is a prominent policy goal, codified in the Sustainable Development Goals, and parenting programs are one approach to preventing and reducing violence. However, we know relatively little about dissemination and scale-up of parenting programs, particularly in low- and middleincome countries (LMICs). The scale-up of two parenting programs, Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH) for Young Children and PLH for Parents and Teens, developed under Creative Commons licensing and tested in randomized trials, provides a unique opportunity to study their dissemination in 25 LMICs. Methods: The Scale-Up of Parenting Evaluation Research (SUPER) study uses a range of methods to study the dissemination of these two programs. The study will examine (1) process and extent of dissemination and scale-up, (2) how the programs are implemented and factors associated with variation in implementation, (3) violence against children and family outcomes before and after program implementation, (4) barriers and facilitators to sustained program delivery, and (5) costs and resources needed for implementation. Primary data collection, focused on three case study projects, will include interviews and focus groups with program facilitators, coordinators, funders, and other stakeholders, and a summary of key organizational characteristics. Program reports and budgets will be reviewed as part of relevant contextual information. Secondary data analysis of routine data collected within ongoing implementation and existing research studies will explore family enrolment and attendance, as well as family reports of parenting practices, violence against children, child behavior, and child and caregiver wellbeing before and after program participation. We will also examine data on staff sociodemographic and professional background, and their competent adherence to the program, collected as part of staff training and certification. Discussion: This project will be the first study of its kind to draw on multiple data sources and methods to examine the dissemination and scale-up of a parenting program across multiple LMIC contexts. While this study reports on the implementation of two specific parenting programs, we anticipate that our findings will be of relevance across the field of parenting, as well as other violence prevention and social programs.
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    Improving the efficiency of evidence-based interventions : the strengths and limitations of randomised controlled trials
    (Institute for Security Studies, 2015-03) Tomlinson, Mark; Ward, Catherine L.; Marlow, Marguerite
    Globally, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are increasingly seen as the gold standard of programme evaluation, representing the best way to determine whether new interventions are effective – but they are not without limitations. In this article, we discuss the phases of scientific discovery and the research standards that are necessary before scaling up interventions. We also outline the core characteristics of RCTs, such as randomisation, efficacy and effectiveness, and discuss the benefits of using the RCT as the standard of intervention evaluation. We discuss how ‘realist’ evaluation contributes to what policymakers need to know in order to make a decision about an evaluation and alternatives to the RCT, such as stepped wedge, regression discontinuity, non-randomised cohort, and time series designs.
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    Parenting in a time of COVID-19
    (Elsevier, 2020) Cluver, Lucie; Lachman, Jamie M.; Sherr, Lorraine; Wessels, Inge; Krug, Etienne; Rakotomalala, Sabine; Blight, Stephen; Hillis, Susan; Bachmand, Gretchen; Green, Ohad; Butchart, Alex; Tomlinson, Mark; Ward, Catherine L.; Doubt, Jennifer; McDonald, Kerida
    Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is changing family life. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization estimates 1·38 billion children are out of school or child care, without access to group activities, team sports, or playgrounds. Parents and caregivers are attempting to work remotely or unable to work, while caring for children, with no clarity on how long the situation will last. For many people, just keeping children busy and safe at home is a daunting prospect. For those living in low-income and crowded households, these challenges are exacerbated.
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    A systematic review of the South African work on the well-being of young people (2000–2016)
    (SAGE Publications, 2019) Govender, Kaymarlin; Bhana, Arvin; McMurray, Kerryn; Kelly, Jane; Theron, Linda; Meyer-Weitz, Anna; Ward, Catherine L.; Tomlinson, Mark
    Burgeoning research on the well-being of young people in recent years has made it difficult to identify conceptual gaps in the literature. We conducted a review of South African research in this area to better understand the use and measurement of the construct, as well as factors associated with it. The search of multiple databases identified 28 studies published in academic journals between 2000 and 2016. Within this period, studies that referred to well-being and its related subjective components varied significantly in terms of how they defined and operationalised these constructs, resulting in a fragmented body of work. The review highlights the need for a coherent research agenda in this area given the centrality of well-being research in promoting optimal outcomes in young people. Recommendations for strengthening South African research in this area are provided.