Thrive in Conversation: Enablers and barriers to scaling parenting programmes | Bhutan and Zambia

Although research evidence has demonstrated the value of parenting programmes to promote child development in low- and middle-income countries, less is known about scaling them. How to scale effectively both horizontally (by expanding programmes’ geographic reach, to include new communities and populations) and vertically (through integration with government systems) has remained largely undocumented. Supported by the LEGO Foundation, FHI 360, an independent research and learning organisation, studied four different parenting programmes implemented from 2020 to 2024 in Bhutan, Rwanda, Serbia and Zambia, to identify enablers and barriers to scaling. The programmes all intended to promote ‘playful parenting’ – where parents provide stimulation to children under three years of age, in particular sensory and motor stimulation that engages children actively and socially, and is enjoyable and developmentally beneficial. This session of Thrive in Conversation focused on two of the programmes: Prescription to Play (C4CD+) in Bhutan, and Caring for the Child’s Healthy Growth and Development (CCD) in Zambia. Carina Omoeva, Director of Research and Evaluation, Global Education, Employment and Engagement at FHI 360, and Frances Aboud, Professor Emerita, Department of Psychology, McGill University in Canada – and Laigden Dzed, Chief Program Officer, Non-Communicable Disease Division, Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Bhutan, discussed the enablers and barriers to horizontal and vertical scaling and recommendations for the scale up of other playful parenting programmes with host Marlies Morsink, Thrive Deputy Programme Director.