Household Economic Strengthening

Poverty is a leading cause of child separation. Families may be torn apart by the stresses of trying to provide for their basic needs, and children may be abandoned or exploited for financial purposes. Household economic strengthening aims to reduce a family’s vulnerability to poverty, increase economic independence, and improve people’s ability to provide for their children.

Economic strengthening alone will not prevent separation or protect children, and should form part of a comprehensive support package, including psychosocial work, community mobilisation, education, health, and family support. Household economic strengthening should also complement the wider government social assistance programmes, welfare sector initiatives, and child care policies. Beneficiaries should include those families which are destitute, poor, or vulnerable to poverty, including child headed households.

Economic empowerment is not possible without the active participation of the community in ensuring that those most in need are identified and that families are willing to commit to projects. Any initiative must have sustainability at its core; there must be a market demand for products and services, and activities should build on the existing strengths and resources of the community.

Household economic strengthening includes activities which help a family restore, improve and maintain their income, and build savings and assets. Projects may consist of relief assistance, grants and loans for income generating activities, technical and skills training, registered credit and savings associations, and legal advice on inheritance and property rights. Ideally such guidance and resources should come from specialised local organisations that can facilitate market research, identify those in need and the type of assistance required, and provide sustainable long-term support to beneficiaries.

The literature contained in this section offers recommendations and examples of household economic strengthening projects which support the protection of children.

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Keeping Children and Families together with Economic Strengthening

USAID (DCOF), CPC Network, Women’s Refugee Commission and FHI360, 06 Mar 2015

OVERVIEW

Child-Led Evaluation of the PPA Programme in Zimbabwe

Plan International, 01 Mar 2015

In 2011 Plan International UK secured a Programme Partnership Agreement (PPA) with the Department for International Development (DFID). This strategic funding has been used to develop the Building Skills for Life Programme.

Outcomes for Children from Household Economic Strengthening Interventions - A Research Synthesis

Josh Chaffin & Cali Mortenson Ellis - Women’s Refugee Commission, CPC Learning Network, Save the Children, 2015

This review focuses on the findings from high-quality published evaluation research into economic strengthening (ES) programs, implemented by NGOs, in resource-poor environments in the developing world, where external evaluators measured impacts on any of a wide variety of indicators of children’s or youth’s protection and wellbeing.

Children First: Better Public Spending for Better Outcomes for Children & Families - Eurochild Conference Report

Eurochild, 2015

This report summarizes the discussions and activities held at Eurochild’s 11th Annual Conference, co-hosted by Hope and Homes for Children in Bucharest, Romania on 26-28 November 2014.

Reforming Child Institutional Care in the Post-Soviet Bloc: The Potential Role of Family-Based Empowerment Strategies

Leyla Ismayiloya, Fred Ssewamala, Aytakin Huseynli - Children and Youth Services Review, 18 Dec 2014

Through a desk review of peer reviewed journal and “grey” literature published in English and Russian languages, this paper provides a review of current deinstitutionalization efforts in the region, identifies potential challenges, describes the need for economic empowerment interventions, and outlines directions for future research.

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Researching the linkages between social protection and children’s care in Ghana: LEAP and its effects on child well-being, care and family cohesion

Family for Every Child and the Centre for Social Protection , 01 Oct 2014

This report was written by Keetie Roelen and Helen Karki Chettri from the Centre for Social Protection (CSP) at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), with inputs and support from Family for Every Child and Challenging Heights, Ghana. The report investigates the links between child wellbeing, children’s care, family cohesion and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme (LEAP), a national social protection scheme in Ghana which aims to reduce extreme poverty in the country and is centred on providing cash transfers to the most vulnerable.

Discussion Paper: Cash Transfers and HIV Prevention

Brian Lutz and Roy Small - United Nations Development Programme, 01 Oct 2014

This paper from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) offers some recommendations on optimizing cash transfers in order to have the greatest impact on those affected by HIV/AIDS.

Family Economic Strengthening and Parenting Stress Among Caregivers of AIDS-Orphaned Children: Results from a Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial in Uganda

Proscovia Nabunya, Fred M. Ssewamala, Vilma Ilic - Children and Youth Services Review, 01 Aug 2014

This study examines the impact of a family economic strengthening intervention on parenting stress among caregivers of AIDS-orphaned children in Uganda.

Protection, Care, and Support for an AIDS-Free Generation: A Call to Action for All Children

UNICEF, PEPFAR, UNAIDS, USAID, The World Bank, The Coalition for Children Affected by AIDS, 19 Jul 2014

This call to action is for all who are committed to achieving an AIDS-free generation.

Why Care Matters: The importance of adequate care for children and society

Family For Every Child, Corinna Csaky, 01 May 2014

This report highlights the needs of children without adequate family care, the impact inadequate care on children and society, and why family care is important. In this report, Family for Every Child also issues several recommendations for those in all sectors of society and an example of care reform from Brazil.