Early childhood development and disability in Malawi, a mixed methods study 2016-2018

This mixed-method study sought to share evidence that would aid the Malawi government and other stakeholders to better understand the complex dynamics that ‘enable’ or ‘inhibit’ quality early childhood development (ECD) for children with disabilities using one rural district in Southern Malawi as an example.
Tikule Limodzi (‘Let’s Grow Together’) was a three-year (2015 to 2018) multi-agency study that seeks to promote the inclusion of children with disabilities in community based child centres (CBCCs) in a rural district of Southern Malawi. The main purpose of the project was to explore ways of developing the skills of volunteer caregivers to support children with disabilities in CBCCs through the use of inclusive strategies and resources. This mixed-method study also sought to share evidence that would aid the Malawi government and other stakeholders to better understand the complex dynamics that ‘enable’ or ‘inhibit’ quality early childhood development (ECD) for children with disabilities using one rural district in Southern Malawi as an example.<p>The University of Birmingham (UoB) and Sightsavers International have invited researchers and academics from leading institutions working in the areas of early childhood development and education (ECDE) and special educational needs and disability (SEND), educational psychology, applied anthropology, and epidemiology in Malawi, the UK and the USA to co-design and conduct an innovative three-year study. This study will provide the ESRC, DfID, the Malawi Government and its partners in education with a better understanding of the complex dynamics that can enable or inhibit quality ECDE for CWDs. The Malawi Government has prioritised ECDE as part of its Growth and Development Strategy II (2012-16) to increase equity of access and improve the quality of early childhood services which are currently reaching just over one third of children aged three to five years.

This research programme, which aims to address the widespread need for equitable and quality ECDE services in Malawi, will establish advanced level collaboration between UoB - a research institution specialising in the education of children with disabilities (CWDs) - and Sightsavers, a UK-based charity that supports the educational inclusion of CWDs in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. They will collaborate with the University of Malawi (Chancellor College), Arizona State University, and a UK-based research organisation specialising in applied anthropology in global health research (Anthrologica). Non-academic stakeholders will include the Malawi Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare (MoGCSW) and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), Save the Children, and the Association of Early Childhood Development in Malawi (AECDM), the main agency responsible for the delivery of ECDE training to all caregivers in Malawi.

The research questions and mixed method study design were developed in consultation with the partners, and will be further refined at the study outset during an inception workshop. A study group will be formed of representatives from a wide range of governmental, academic and non-governmental stakeholders, including people with disabilities, who will guide and oversee the implementation of the activities. The study will be subject to ethical approval at the Universities of Birmingham and Malawi, and will adhere to best practice in acquiring informed consent from all participants. </p>

本项混合方法研究旨在分享相关证据，助力马拉维政府及其他利益相关方以马拉维南部某农村地区为案例，更好地理解残疾儿童优质早期儿童发展（Early Childhood Development, ECD）进程中“促进”或“阻碍”的复杂作用机制。
“携手成长”（Tikule Limodzi）是一项为期三年（2015年至2018年）的多机构研究，旨在推动马拉维南部某农村地区的社区儿童中心（Community Based Child Centres, CBCCs）接纳残疾儿童参与其中。本项目的核心目标是探索路径，通过运用包容性策略与资源，提升志愿照护者的技能，以支持社区儿童中心内的残疾儿童。本项混合方法研究同样旨在分享相关证据，助力马拉维政府及其他利益相关方以马拉维南部某农村地区为案例，更好地理解残疾儿童优质早期儿童发展进程中“促进”或“阻碍”的复杂作用机制。
伯明翰大学（University of Birmingham, UoB）与施达赛国际（Sightsavers International）邀请了来自马拉维、英国及美国顶尖院校的研究者与学者，这些机构的研究领域涵盖早期儿童发展与教育（Early Childhood Development and Education, ECDE）、特殊教育需求与残疾（Special Educational Needs and Disability, SEND）、教育心理学、应用人类学与流行病学，双方将共同设计并开展一项创新性的三年期研究。本研究将为英国经济与社会研究理事会（Economic and Social Research Council, ESRC）、英国国际发展部（Department for International Development, DfID）、马拉维政府及其教育领域合作伙伴提供更深入的认知，以理解影响残疾儿童（Children with Disabilities, CWDs）优质早期儿童发展与教育的复杂作用机制。马拉维政府已将早期儿童发展与教育纳入《增长与发展战略Ⅱ（2012-2016年）》的优先发展事项，以提升服务获取的公平性并改善早期儿童服务质量——当前该服务仅覆盖了三分之一以上的3至5岁儿童。
本研究项目旨在满足马拉维境内对公平优质早期儿童发展与教育服务的广泛需求，将推动两大机构展开高水平合作：一是专长于残疾儿童教育的伯明翰大学（UoB），二是总部位于英国、致力于支持撒哈拉以南非洲与南亚地区残疾儿童教育融入的慈善机构施达赛国际（Sightsavers）。双方将与马拉维大学（Chancellor College分校）、亚利桑那州立大学，以及英国一家专注于全球健康研究领域应用人类学的科研机构Anthrologica展开合作。非学术利益相关方包括马拉维性别、儿童与社会福利部（Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, MoGCSW）、教育、科学与技术部（Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, MoEST）、救助儿童会（Save the Children），以及马拉维早期儿童发展协会（Association of Early Childhood Development in Malawi, AECDM）——该协会是马拉维境内负责为所有照护者提供早期儿童发展与教育培训的核心机构。
本研究的研究问题与混合方法研究设计已与各方合作伙伴磋商拟定，并将在研究启动阶段通过启动研讨会进一步细化完善。项目将组建由各类政府、学术与非政府利益相关方代表（包括残疾人群体代表）构成的研究工作组，负责指导并监督各项研究活动的实施。本研究将接受伯明翰大学与马拉维大学的伦理审查，并将遵循最佳实践规范，获取所有参与者的知情同意。