Scaling Early Childhood Development – what to read this month | July 2026

Scaling Early Childhood Development – what to read this month is curated by Bet Caeyers (Lead Editor, Chr. Michelsen Institute), Meghan Taylor (Editor, Oxford Policy Management), and Daniel Munday (Editor, Oxford Policy Management).

Lachman et al. provide one of the first randomised evaluations of a parenting programme delivered through a government conditional cash transfer system for families with children over 2. In the Philippines, attending a 12-session, group-based parenting programme counted towards the mandatory family education sessions required to remain eligible for cash transfers, embedding parenting support within routine social protection services. Retention was high, with over 94% of caregivers completing all sessions. The programme achieved sustained reductions in child maltreatment and emotional abuse at 12-month follow-up, alongside short-term improvements in parenting practices and intimate partner violence. Although most other benefits were not sustained and no effects were found on parental mental health or child development, the study demonstrates the potential of existing cash transfer systems to scale evidence-based parenting programmes.

Turning to health systems, Tuyisenge et al. reflect on how a decade-long partnership between the UK Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Rwanda Paediatric Association, UNICEF, the Rwandan Ministry of Health and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre evolved from a focus on neonatal quality improvement to broader health system strengthening. Through continuous training, mentorship and feedback, the programme improved clinical care while uncovering systemic barriers related to workforce capacity, equipment, data use and coordination. Rather than creating parallel structures, it strengthened existing services through local leadership and adaptation. The authors argue that long-term institutional partnerships embedded in routine government systems provide a more sustainable route to improving maternal and newborn care.

Continuing with maternal and child health, Salisu et al.provide qualitative insights into delivering community-based mobile nutrition services in hard-to-reach settings through Nigeria’s Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) programme. Participants perceived that bringing supplements, growth monitoring and nutrition counselling directly to communities improved access and maternal and child health. However, infrequent visits, poor roads, and language and cultural barriers, limited uptake. The authors conclude that scaling mobile nutrition services requires logistical investment, frequent outreach and strong community engagement with culturally adapted communication.

On early learning, Caeyers et al. show how governments can strengthen public preschool quality by mobilising parents within existing education systems. In Ghana, the Lively Minds programme trained mothers as volunteers to deliver structured, play-based learning activities in public preschools, while improving their parenting skills through monthly workshops. The programme improved child cognitive development overall, and improved parenting practice and child socio-emotional behaviour, particularly among boys whose mothers participated as volunteers in the programme. Following the trial, Ghana expanded the programme to 60 districts while maintaining quality and reducing costs. The findings highlight a scalable approach to simultaneously improving both preschool quality and the home learning environment.

Turning to measurement, Hossain et al. examine whether machine learning can identify children at risk of poor development across South Asia. Using data from more than 42,000 children in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, prediction models performed well within countries but poorly across settings, showing that developmental risks are highly context- specific. Across all countries, the strongest predictor was the quality of the home learning environment. The findings support investment in caregiver stimulation while emphasising that predictive tools require local validation before scale-up.

On equity, Kamara et al. examine the experiences of pregnant and postnatal adolescent girls with disabilities in Sierra Leone. Despite policies guaranteeing free care, participants described discrimination, informal fees, inaccessible facilities and transport, and widespread stigma. Many also experienced abandonments by partners and exclusion from decisions about their own care. The authors argue that these barriers arise primarily from health systems and society rather than disability itself, highlighting the need for disability-inclusive policies, better provider training and more accessible services.

Looking across vulnerable populations, O’Sullivan et al. synthesise evidence from 95 studies on healthcare models for refugee and asylum-seeking children. Successful programmes consistently combined health care with education, housing, legal support and social welfare while using schools, community outreach and cultural brokers to improve access and trust. Refugee children frequently faced trauma, developmental delays, infectious diseases and gaps in preventive care. The review concludes that integrated, trauma-informed and culturally responsive services offer the strongest model for improving outcomes, although stronger evidence on cost-effectiveness is still needed.

Finally, Rodrigues et al. synthesise evidence from 45 studies across 20 countries to identify the barriers healthcare professionals face in preventing and responding to violence against children. While inadequate training and uncertainty about recognising abuse were common, the review shows that organisational barriers – including excessive workloads, limited resources, unclear reporting procedures and weak coordination between health, social and child protection services – often posed even greater challenges. Many professionals also feared making incorrect allegations or lacked confidence that child protection systems would respond appropriately. The authors conclude that improving responses to violence against children requires systemic change, combining better training with stronger institutional support, clearer referral pathways and closer collaboration across sectors.