Parenting Response with Offline Technology to End COVID-associated Trauma ("PROTECT")
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Social Policy and Intervention
Abstract
COVID-associated child abuse has become a chronic crisis through the intense stressors of economic upheaval, school closure, lockdown and mental health distress, alongside the inaccessibility of in-person support services. The objective of this work is to deliver proven-effective evidence-based child abuse prevention resources, to the world's most vulnerable populations during COVID-19, through a uniquely accessible and context-customised digital parenting app. This Proof of Concept project will conduct pre-post testing and qualitative piloting of our beta version "ParentApp" digital programme in South Africa and Tanzania: two countries with surging COVID rates and low vaccination coverage. If successful, the WHO and UNICEF have committed to scaling up the programme with national governments across the Global South. Remote delivery is a cost-effective feasible alternative, and ParentApp is the world's first offline-accessible, low-data parenting app; the only open-source digital parenting programme; and the only digital programme designed for low-resource settings.
This project will test the feasibility and initial effectiveness of ParentApp in Tanzania and South Africa, to make improvements based on findings, and to involve national and global stakeholders to support the translation of research into innovation at scale. We will do this by: gathering feedback from users and implementers on the relevance, acceptability, satisfaction and usability of ParentApp; engaging with international and government strategic partners and implementing NGOs to understand how ParentApp can be implemented, delivered and used in their activities; generating quantitative and qualitative data to test initial effectiveness on target outcomes by evaluating at immediate post-test the effect of the programme on primary and secondary outcomes.
This proposal offers ground-breaking potential for massive societal impact through building a new evidence-base in digital violence prevention.
This project will test the feasibility and initial effectiveness of ParentApp in Tanzania and South Africa, to make improvements based on findings, and to involve national and global stakeholders to support the translation of research into innovation at scale. We will do this by: gathering feedback from users and implementers on the relevance, acceptability, satisfaction and usability of ParentApp; engaging with international and government strategic partners and implementing NGOs to understand how ParentApp can be implemented, delivered and used in their activities; generating quantitative and qualitative data to test initial effectiveness on target outcomes by evaluating at immediate post-test the effect of the programme on primary and secondary outcomes.
This proposal offers ground-breaking potential for massive societal impact through building a new evidence-base in digital violence prevention.
Organisations
- University of Oxford (Lead Research Organisation)
- Innovations in Development, Education and the Mathematical Sciences (Collaboration)
- Clowns Without Borders South Africa (Collaboration)
- Government of Tanzania (Collaboration)
- World Health Organization (WHO) (Collaboration)
- National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania (Collaboration)
- Innodems (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Lucie Cluver (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Janowski R
(2024)
Optimizing Engagement with a Smartphone App to Prevent Violence Against Adolescents in Tanzania: Results From a Cluster Randomized Factorial Trial (Preprint)
in Journal of Medical Internet Research
Ambrosio MDG
(2024)
A Factorial Randomized Controlled Trial to Optimize User Engagement With a Chatbot-Led Parenting Intervention: Protocol for the ParentText Optimisation Trial.
in JMIR research protocols
Schafer M
(2025)
A Digital Parenting Intervention With Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Content: Quantitative Pre-Post Pilot Study.
in JMIR formative research
| Description | This project has achieved the first known randomised controlled trial of a hybrid-digital parenting App. ParentApp has reached over 4,800 caregivers, children, and adolescents, at a cost of only $5.98 per family. The first basic version of the App was co-designed with families in Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, and with parenting trainers at Clowns Without Borders South Africa. User testing of the early version of ParentApp was conducted with a group of caregivers from eight African countries, followed by pilot testing and an optimisation trial. In partnership with the Government of Tanzania, and building on the co-design phase, we developed a beta version of Parent App which was tailored to Tanzanian families. To assess the feasibility of hybrid human-digital delivery led by local implementing partners, we recruited 4,800 participants, including caregivers, children, and adolescents, to test the effectiveness of ParentApp. A WashApp, designed in parallel, was given to the control group. Our preliminary findings one-month after the intervention show notable improvements in child and caregiver risks, including 23% reduction in physical violence, 37% reduction in sexual violence victimisation, 14% reduction in family violence, and 13% and 17% reduction in adolescent and caregiver depression, respectively. Findings also show promising effects on household-level outcomes, including 20% reduction in food insecurity, 23% increase in financial planning, 11% increase in gender-equitable behaviours, and 26% increase in parental monitoring. Interaction with the ParentApp intervention content is high, with 83% of participants having engaged with two-thirds or more of the modules. These results indicate that multi-type violence and household poverty can be reduced simultaneously, and that his can be practicably achieved through cost-effective, hybrid, digital technologies. |
| Exploitation Route | The Governments of Mexico, The Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, and Nigeria are all committed to scale-up of ParentApp within their national plans, in collaboration with UNICEF and the World Health Organisation. The very low cost and very high effectiveness, established through this Proof of Concept grant, makes ParentApp a feasible route toward fulfilment of their Ministerial pledges, within the context of severe resource constraints and multiple pressing needs. The achievements of this project have enhanced and expanded awareness within digital-tech industries of the potential application of their products and expertise for global social benefit, as recognised by our technological partner, IDEMS, winning the UK Social Enterprise 2024 International Impact Award. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Healthcare |
| Description | Evidence-based advocacy: These findings have been directly cited across a range of advocacy and policy documents and workshops, including by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and Together4Girls among others, with these engagements primarily led by early-career researchers. PhD student, Nontokozo Langwenya, for example, used these findings to support the development of a Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) online training course. The research findings have also informed policy briefs and podcasts by civil society agencies (e.g., Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Plan International, Sexual Violence Research Initiative). Influence on national policy: This work has been pivotal in the Government of Tanzania's decision to adopt ParentApp as a flagship national programme in the prevention of violence against children. Our research team contributes to the Multi-Sectoral Parenting Group which undertakes a key role in operationalising these plans. In November 2024, the government made a pledge to increase and prioritise violence prevention efforts; their largest financial commitment was towards strengthening evidence-based parent and caregiver support. Influence on regional policy: We have ensured equitable access to our findings, especially across regional leadership in Africa. In 2024, Prof Lucie Cluver, Dr Joyce Wamoyi (of NIMR Tanzania), and Dr Isang Awah presented the study findings in the First Global Inter-Ministerial Conference to End Violence against Children - which convened 120+ Ministers from around the world. The work has elicited commitments by the Governments of Tanzania, Mexico, South Africa, The Philippines, and Nigeria to scale-up hybrid-digital parenting programmes within their national child violence prevention plans. We have also shared the findings with key donors and champions who work on violence prevention in Africa, including the Oak Foundation, the Queen of Sweden, and UN country offices. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | Citation in WHO/ Tanzania Government Guidance on Positive parenting |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | This review, conducted by the Government of Tanzania and World Health Organisation, highlights current evidence and opportunities to deliver government-led parenting programmes. This was owned and internally circlated in the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, and -more widely- through the World Health Organisation's website. |
| Description | National Parenting Consortium workshop, co-chaired by the Tanzanian Ministry of Community Development |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Participation by the following organisations allowed for multi-sectoral dissemination and impact: Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups and the Parenting Consortium, WHO Tanzania, UNICEF Tanzania, National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Investing in Children and their Societies (ICS), Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH), and Clowns Without Borders South Africa (CWBSA), the National Parenting Consortium. |
| Title | Optimisation Trial In-App Survey |
| Description | The questionnaire was designed with a dual aim of a) tailoring content to the needs of caregivers (for example using their name, and highlighting workshops/modules that may be particularly important to them) and b) assessing preliminary effectiveness of the programme without being too burdensome and assuming minimal digital literacy. Thus, it only includes items related to the core outcomes ParentApp targets and the most basic socio-demographic information. Items were selected based on a subset of measures previously used in the in-person PLH for Teens implementation in Tanzania [53]. All items originate from open-access measures that have been psychometrically validated in previous studies, including in LMICs. To further ensure that the items were culturally relevant and acceptable in the specific context of our study, we engaged in a co-development process with Tanzanian experts on VAC, conducted iterative pre-piloting with Tanzanian parents, and pilot-tested the measures with 100 Tanzanian families, including both female and male caregivers and their adolescents. |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | An optimisation trial was conducted and outcomes were measured using this digital standardised scale measure. |
| URL | https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-15989-x |
| Title | ParentApp Pilot 12-month follow-up questionnaire |
| Description | The following outcomes related to adolescent maltreatment, violence and sexual violence, engaged responsive parenting, psychosocial well-being, family functioning, and socio-economic factors were reported by both adolescents and caregivers. Child maltreatment was assessed using eight items from the emotional abuse subscale, four items from the physical abuse subscale, and three items from the neglect subscale of the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool-Trial version (ICAST-Trial). The tool asks adolescents and caregivers to indicate the number of times they perpetrated (caregiver report version) or experienced (adolescent report version) physical and emotional violence over the past month. Items were summed to total scores for each scale and subscale. Previous child abuse prevention studies in Tanzania have used these subscales but do not report their reliability. In the present study, both subscales demonstrated good internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of a = 0.81 for the emotional abuse subscale, and a = 0.76 for the physical abuse subscale. Sexual violence vulnerably was assessed using the CDC Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys [14]. Sexual violence victimisation was assessed using the ICAST-Trial Caregiver and Child Versions of Contact and Non-Contact Sexual Abuse subscales. Sexual violence risk mitigation planned using the scale developed for a PLH RCT in South Africa Intimate partner violence experience used the WHO's Violence Against Women Instrument (VAWI) and (adapted) ICAST-Trial Child Version. Positive parenting, parental involvement, poor monitoring and supervision, corporal punishment and inconsistent discipline were measured using Alabama Parenting Questionnaire subscales. Attitudes towards gender roles used the scale from the WHO Multi-Country Study on Domestic Violence. Socio-economic hardship assessed monthly shortfalls of basic necessities, such as clothes, soap, and school equipment. Social support using the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. For reliability of reporting, outcomes reported by caregivers only were Parent-adolescent communication using the Fast Track Intervention Study's Parent-Child Communication Scale [20] (adapted for the Tanzanian context). Gender equitable behaviours using the MAISHA Tanzania scale. Parenting stress using an adapted version of the parenting stress scale. Problematic adolescent externalising and internalising behaviour using the Child and Adolescent Behaviour Inventory (23) and mental health using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Outcomes reported by adolescents only were sexual violence victimisation using the ICAST-Trial Caregiver and Child Versions of Contact and Non-Contact Sexual Abuse subscale, Alcohol-Facilitated Forced Sex, the WHO's Violence Against Women Instrument Transactional Sex item and Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children's Disrupting Harm project instrument. Mental health used the and The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) [25]. Witnessing family violence using the ICAST-Trial tool. |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Pilot outcomes were measures using this questionnaire. |
| Title | ParentApp RCT Baseline, Post-Test and 12-Month Follow-Up Questionnaire |
| Description | Outcome measures The following outcomes related to adolescent maltreatment, violence and sexual violence, engaged responsive parenting, psychosocial well-being, family functioning, and socio-economic factors were reported by both adolescents and caregivers. Child maltreatment was assessed using eight items from the emotional abuse subscale, four items from the physical abuse subscale, and three items from the neglect subscale of the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool-Trial version (ICAST-Trial). The tool asks adolescents and caregivers to indicate the number of times they perpetrated (caregiver report version) or experienced (adolescent report version) physical and emotional violence over the past month. Items were summed to total scores for each scale and subscale. Previous child abuse prevention studies in Tanzania have used these subscales but do not report their reliability. In the present study, both subscales demonstrated good internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of a = 0.81 for the emotional abuse subscale, and a = 0.76 for the physical abuse subscale. Sexual violence vulnerably was assessed using the CDC Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys. Sexual violence victimisation was assessed using the ICAST-Trial Caregiver and Child Versions of Contact and Non-Contact Sexual Abuse subscales. Sexual violence risk mitigation planned using the scale developed for a PLH RCT in South Africa Intimate partner violence experience used the WHO's Violence Against Women Instrument (VAWI) and (adapted) ICAST-Trial Child Version. Positive parenting, parental involvement, poor monitoring and supervision, corporal punishment and inconsistent discipline were measured using Alabama Parenting Questionnaire subscales. Attitudes towards gender roles used the scale from the WHO Multi-Country Study on Domestic Violence. Socio-economic hardship assessed monthly shortfalls of basic necessities, such as clothes, soap, and school equipment. Social support using the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. For reliability of reporting, outcomes reported by caregivers only were Parent-adolescent communication using the Fast Track Intervention Study's Parent-Child Communication Scale (adapted for the Tanzanian context). Gender equitable behaviours using the MAISHA Tanzania scale. Parenting stress using an adapted version of the parenting stress scale. Problematic adolescent externalising and internalising behaviour using the Child and Adolescent Behaviour Inventory and mental health using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Outcomes reported by adolescents only were sexual violence victimisation using the ICAST-Trial Caregiver and Child Versions of Contact and Non-Contact Sexual Abuse subscale, Alcohol-Facilitated Forced Sex, the WHO's Violence Against Women Instrument Transactional Sex item and Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children's Disrupting Harm project instrument. Mental health used the and The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) [25]. Witnessing family violence using the ICAST-Trial tool. Demographic and socioeconomic measures Caregivers report on demographic factors measured at baseline included items from UNICEF's Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) age, gender, assessment of disability, assessment of basic literacy, household structure, caregiver employment, household poverty and hunger, receipt of social assistance, adolescent's relationship to the caregiver, adolescent school enrolment, caregiver and adolescent relationship status, and adolescent orphanhood status. |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This measure was used to get baseline data, 1-month post test daya, and final 12-month follow-up data from RCT participants. |
| Title | Tanzania Digital Randomised Control trial |
| Description | We are pilot testing of ParentApp with 560 - 600 children and adolescents (150 families) in the Mwanza and Shinyanga regions of Tanzania, to analyse the role of positive parenting in ending violence against children. The project is currently establishing the necessary infrastructure and components for successful piloting, including recruitment and training of Tanzania-based Research Assistants and community mapping for recruitment of study participants. Data collection began in 2022 and is actively underway. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The project has been exceptionally well received, with the Government of Tanzania adopting ParentApp as its national programme and significant in-country interest from USAID, WHO and UNICEF - stakeholders who are crucial to the extension of ParentApp beyond the pilot population and the implementation of study findings into impactful policy making and programmatic delivery. |
| Description | Clowns Without Borders South Africa |
| Organisation | Clowns Without Borders South Africa |
| Department | Parenting for Lifelong Health Implementing Partners |
| Country | South Africa |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The ParentApp research team worked closely with CWBSA to develop new content, adapt previous content, and provide training on the content. |
| Collaborator Contribution | CWBSA is non-profit organisation and member of the PLH Implementation Network, responsible for the training, coaching and technical capacity development of PLH. In this project, CWBSA's role includes development and implementation of training, coaching and capacity building for ParentApp implementing partner(s), as well as leading content development for the app. |
| Impact | A WhatsApp User support guide has been developed. Multiple trainings have been conducted. Four additional modules have been created. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Collaboration with the Government of Tanzania |
| Organisation | Government of Tanzania |
| Country | Tanzania, United Republic of |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | This reporting period, we have continued and strengthened our partnership with the Government of Tanzania, extending the partnership to new offices. During this time, we ensured continued evidence sharing with government officials, including through presenting findings in national and global spaces to inform policy and practice. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The first basic version of the App was co-designed with families in Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, and with parenting trainers at Clowns Without Borders South Africa. To ensure participatory development and context-sensitivity, the Government of Tanzania supported the co-design of the Tanzania ParentApp which was delivered and tested throughout this reporting period. |
| Impact | - Evidence shared through co-design workshops with Government, civil society and youth. - Our randomised controlled trial in Tanzania recruited 4,800 participants, including caregivers, children, and adolescents, to test the effectiveness of ParentApp; a WashApp, designed in parallel, was given to the control group - In December 2024, The government announced a commitment to pilot and scale-up a new national positive parenting programme - https://endviolenceagainstchildrenconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/UR-Tanzania-pledge.pdf |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | IDEMS and INNODEMS |
| Organisation | Innodems |
| Country | Kenya |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The ParentApp team worked closely with IDEMS and INNODEMS to design the research and develop the tools required. |
| Collaborator Contribution | IDEMS and INNODEMS provided app development, app engagement tracking, technical support and digital literacy training for the ParentApp for Teens project in Tanzania. |
| Impact | The ParentApp for teens smartphone app and webapp was developed and updated in English and Swahili. Engagement data was tracked. Participants were trained. And technical support was provided as needed. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | IDEMS and INNODEMS |
| Organisation | Innovations in Development, Education and the Mathematical Sciences |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The ParentApp team worked closely with IDEMS and INNODEMS to design the research and develop the tools required. |
| Collaborator Contribution | IDEMS and INNODEMS provided app development, app engagement tracking, technical support and digital literacy training for the ParentApp for Teens project in Tanzania. |
| Impact | The ParentApp for teens smartphone app and webapp was developed and updated in English and Swahili. Engagement data was tracked. Participants were trained. And technical support was provided as needed. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | National Institute for Medical Research Tanzania |
| Organisation | National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania |
| Department | Mwanza Research Centre (MRC) |
| Country | Tanzania, United Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The research team collaborates on the development, implementation, and testing of ParentApp. They are responsible for overall management of the project including (1) overseeing the development of the app; (2) leading the development and implementation of research protocols, including IRB application at the University of Oxford and University of Cape Town; (3) support to local delivery and data collection; (4) lead on overall quantitative analysis and support qualitative analysis and write-up; (5) all monitoring and evaluation activities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | NIMR is a parastatal institution and research arm of the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MHCDGEC) and a partner in the development, implementation, and testing of ParentApp in Tanzania. NIMR's role is overall implementation of the project in Tanzania including (1) management and contracting of local implementing partner(s) and mobile service providers; (2) research implementation and data collection; (3) co-leading the development and implementation of research protocols, including IRB processing in Tanzania, and ensuring that ethical standards are met; (4) lead on overall qualitative analyses; and (5) lead on local research uptake and policy engagement including project introductions to all relevant authorities to gain local buy-in |
| Impact | Together, the research team, split across UCT, Oxford University and NIMR have completed a pilot study, and optimisation trial, and are currently underway with a randomised controlled trial. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Tanzania Government collaboration on beta version of ParentApp |
| Organisation | Government of Tanzania |
| Country | Tanzania, United Republic of |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Our research team initiated policy engagement with this Government and provided the evidence-based investment case which led to their pledge of financial commitment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our ParentApp digital parenting programme was closely co-developed with the Tanzanian government, including regular advisory meetings and workshops. |
| Impact | Having endorsed ParentApp as the flagship national parenting programme, in November 2024, the Government of Tanzania made a pledge to increase and prioritize violence prevention efforts; their largest financial commitment was towards strengthening evidence-based parent and caregiver support. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | World Health Organisation |
| Organisation | World Health Organization (WHO) |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Collaboration with various teams across World Health Organisation departments have allowed us to increase evidence uptake into policy and practice. Our contribution to these partnerships includes participating in a series of workshops (formal and informal) to share emerging findings on violence against children. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners at the World Health Organisation have consistently identified opportunities to share evidence with policy makers, practitioners and civil society. Building on our evidence, they have recently published Global Guidelines on parenting interventions to prevent maltreatment and enhance parent-child relationships with children aged 0-17 years - https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240065505 |
| Impact | - In 2024, we organised a series of multi-sectoral meetings in Geneva to strengthen evidence sharing within and beyond World Health Organisations. Prof Lucie Cluver presented initial findings of ParentApp to the World Health Organisation's Violence Prevention, Mental Health, Adolescent Health Teams. - We co-developed the Global Guidelines on parenting interventions to prevent maltreatment and enhance parent-child relationships with children aged 0-17 years |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | BOLD IDEAS FOR BRIGHTER FUTURES - UNICEF Joint conference on global child and adolescent mental health |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on early research findings titled "Improving caregiver mental health in LMICs: Pilot Findings and RCT protocol of a digital Parenting for Lifelong Health programme" given by project early-career researchers Nicole Chetty, Jonathan Klapwijk, Lauren Baerecke and Abigail Ornellas. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://brighterfutures2024.ki.se/#:~:text=May%2015%2D16%2C%202024&text=Karolinska%20Institutet%20an... |
| Description | Centre for Social Science Research and Department of Social Work, University of Cape Town |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Early-career researcher Abigail Ornellas delivered a presentation titled ""EFFECTIVE PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN FOR $6 PER FAMILY: 1-MONTH RCT FINDINGS OF A DIGITAL PARENTING INTERVENTION IN TANZANIA" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2024 |
| Description | Conference: International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions' (IACAPAP) mission is to advocate for the promotion of the mental health and development of children and adolescents through policy, practice and research. In 2024, we were invited to present our findings in their 26th World Congress of the IACAPAP, which brought together +800 professionals, policymakers and civil society leaders. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | http://iacapap2024.com/ingles/programacao/index_track_cronologico.php#topo |
| Description | Department of Social Development Roundtable on Linking Social Protection Beneficiaries to Sustainable Livelihood Opportunities, South Africa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation delivered by early-career researcher Abigail Ornellas |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Gates Foundation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver presented on the study project and findings to the Foundation's girls programming team. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | IACAPAP conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation titled "Nurturing Teen Mental Health: the Impact of a Digital Parenting Intervention in Tanzania - Pilot Insights and RCT Protocol of the ParentApp Programme" given by early-career researcher Nicole Chetty |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://iacapap.org/news/iacapap-2024-call-for-abstract-and-symposium.html |
| Description | IPSCAN International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation titled "A pilot study of preliminary effects of a hybrid-digital parenting programme for adolescents on improved parenting, mental health, violence prevention and adolescent challenging behaviours in Tanzania" given by early-career researcher Jonathan Klapwijk |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://ispcan.org/congresses/ispcan-congress-sweden-2024/sweden-recap/ |
| Description | ISSBD (International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development) conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation titled "Playful Parenting at Scale. Exploring play for adolescents in low- and middle-income countries" given by early-career researcher Jonathan Klapwijk. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://2024biennial.issbd.org/ |
| Description | Indigo Trust, Phillips Foundation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver presented on the ParentApp study to funders with interest in supporting this sector. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Multi-sectoral parenting group (MSPG) meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | A multi-sectoral parenting group (MSPG) meeting took place in Dar es Salaam, marking a significant step forward in parenting policy scale up collaborative efforts. During this meeting, representatives from the Ministry of Health, Tanzania and the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) Tanzania presented the proposed work plan to the MSPG members and successfully finalized the terms of reference for the group's operations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Oak Foundation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver delivered a presentation titled, "CAN WE PREVENT VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AT SCALE?" to this funder. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation at UNICEF Parenting and Child protection teams |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Lucie presented at the UNICEF Parenting and Child protection teams. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation of ParentApp results to UNICEF HQ |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Lucie presented during discussions centered on Advisory on MICS measurements of responsive caregiving for adolescents |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation to First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Dr Joyce Wamoyi (NIMR Tanzania) and Prof Lucie Cluver were invited to present emerging findings from the PROTECT study as part of the official programme of the First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children. Their presentation elicited and reinforced interest by multiple Global South governments in adopting digital parenting support programmes within their national prevention of child abuse. The Governments of Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, Mexico, and The Philippines have all committed to scale-up of digital programmes, in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO, and our research team. This Global Ministerial Conference represented the first time that all governments of the world convened to commit to prevent violence against children - accelerating action to deliver SDG 16.2. Convened by the Government of Colombia, with the support of the Government of Sweden, UNICEF, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, and the World Health Organization, this Ministerial Conference aimed at driving policy change, marshalling resources and demonstrating that violence prevention is possible. Over the course of two full days, the Conference provided a highest-profile platform for showcasing national progress, announcing new commitments and amplifying diverse voices. Among the many pledges made by governments during and following the Ministerial Conference, was the Government of Tanzania's pledge to increase and prioritize violence prevention efforts, within which their largest financial commitment was towards strengthening evidence-based parent and caregiver support on the basis of PROTECT findings in connection with the ParentApp digital parenting support programme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://endviolenceagainstchildrenconference.org/ |
| Description | Presentation to the Queen of Sweden |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | Dr Joyce Wamoyi (NIMR Tanzania) and Prof Lucie Cluver were invited to present emerging findings from the PROTECT study at a highly exclusive meeting of selected donors/ philanthropists convened and hosted by the Queen of Sweden. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | RIATT-ESA Regional Learning and Linking Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | We were invited to present in the bi-annual June 2024 Regional Learning and Linking Forum in Johannesberg. This primarily focuses on bringing together regional development actors in East and Southern Africa to discuss emerging evidence on children and adolescents' HIV and sexual/ reproductive health. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.riatt-esa.org/events/2024/6/25/regional-learning-and-linking-forum-2024 |
| Description | SVRI Forum 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on sexual violence qualitative and quantitative findings of pilot testing by early-career researcher Lauren Baerecke and Dr Joyce Wamoyi of collaborator NIMR Tanzania. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.svriforum2024.org/ |
| Description | Society for Prevention Research (SPR) Annual Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The SPR Annual Meeting provides a unique opportunity to advance this vision by providing a centrally integrated forum for the exchange of new concepts, methods, and results from prevention research and related public health fields. In 2024, this was attended by +100 scientists, public policy leaders and practitioners concerning the implementation of evidence-based preventive interventions in all areas of public health. We were invited to present preliminary findings from the ParentApp RCT. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://preventionresearch.org/2024-annual-meeting/ |
| Description | Together for Girls |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver delivered a presentation titled: CAN WE PREVENT VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AT SCALE? |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | UKRI International Team |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver presented on the study project and findings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | UNICEF |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver presented on the study project and findings to key staff of UNICEF Headquarters and Country Offices. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | UNICEF South Africa and Clowns Without Borders South Africa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Early-career researcher Nicole Chetty delivered a presentation titled "CAN WE PREVENT VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AT SCALE?" Attendees expressed particular interest in outcomes from the ParentApp intervention on fatherhood. They requested information on delivery costs of the programme for South Africa. There were questions about the relationship with Vodacom, with interest expressed in extending that partnership to South Africa. Feedback was given, leading to strengthening of app modules. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | UNICEF Tanzania |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver presented on the ParentApp findings to UNICEF's Country Office in Tanzania. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | USAID Mission, Tanzania |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver presented on the study findings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | University of Cape Town Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Annual Research Day 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation titled "Enhancing Caregiver and Adolescent Mental Health in LMICs: Pilot Findings and RCT Protocol of the ParentApp Digital Intervention in Tanzania" given by early-career researcher Nicole Chetty Received much positive feedback, with questions around feasibility, use of smartphones, mediating pathways, contextualisation, recruitment methods. University of Cape Town's Deputy Dean of Health Services wishes to pilot the app. as a result of this presentation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | World Bank |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver presented on the study project and findings to the World Bank's Human Capital team. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | World Childhood Foundation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver presented on the study project and findings to this sector funder. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | World Health Organisation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver delivered a presentation titled "CAN WE PREVENT VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AT SCALE?" to WHO's Violence Prevention, Mental Health, and Adolescent Health teams. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | World Health Organisation, Tanzania |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Lucie Cluver presented to WHO Country Office, Tanzania on the study findings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |