Data and Monitoring Tools

Monitoring and research are essential processes in ensuring the relevance and effectiveness of programs, and the scope and type of service provision. They are integral components of analysis, strategic planning, and implementation for government and non-governmental organisations seeking to effect change, support or provide services.

Monitoring is an on-going process of gathering information e.g. statistics and tracking inputs and outputs, enabling the evaluation of what is working, and providing a mechanism for accountability. Combined with research, it facilitates the planning of improved resource allocation and service delivery. Research and monitoring can also help raise awareness of the gravity of a situation, both nationally and internationally. It should help convince those who are putting time, energy and money into supporting programmes that their efforts are worthwhile and should be continued.

Results of monitoring and evaluation should be fed directly back into programmes to correct weaknesses and improve performance. The outcomes of research and monitoring should also help improve child care policies. Results can be used to inform future programme design, prompting a decision to replicate an effective intervention in other areas or to discontinue an intervention because it is expensive and not making any beneficial changes.

The literature in this section provides statistical data on vulnerable children from a wide range of sources, as well as guidance and examples of data collection, indicators, analysis, and research methods regarding issues relating to vulnerable children.

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On Understanding Orphan Statistics

Christian Alliance for Orphans, 20 Oct 2015

This short white paper by CAFO seeks to help readers accurately understand and carefully present orphan-related statistics.

Opening Doors for Europe's Children: Mapping institutional and residential care for children in Greece

Hope & Homes for Children and EuroChild, 28 Sep 2015

To better understand the situation of children in institutional care in Greece, Roots Research Centre, the national coordinator of Opening Doors for Europe's Children, conducted the first nation-wide mapping of institutional and residential care in Greece. The study revealed "a patchwork" of public and private institutions and residential care facilities with little or no oversight of quality and no monitoring of the numbers of children and what happens to them.

World Family Map 2015: Mapping Family Change and Child Well-Being Outcomes

Child Trends and Social Trends Institute, 22 Sep 2015

This annual report of the World Family Map Project shares the latest data on 16 indicators of family structure, family socioeconomics, family processes, and family culture in multiple countries as well as an original essay focusing on one important aspect of contemporary family life.