This report presents the findings from an evaluation of the “Parents Make a Difference” program, conducted by the International Rescue Committee and research partners at Duke University. The Parents Make a Difference program is an intervention that serves families in post-conflict, Lofa County, Liberia. The program was implemented in 2012–2013. The evaluation assesses the impact of the program on three primary outcomes: 1) caregivers’ parenting practices; 2) children’s cognitive, social, and emotional outcomes; and 3) malaria prevention behaviors. Among its conclusions, the research team found that the intervention had a significant impact on reducing the use of harsh physical or psychological punishment as well as increasing caregivers’ use of positive behavior management practices. However, the evaluation also indicates that the intervention did not have a significant impact on children’s cognitive, behavioral, or emotional outcomes, nor did it have a significant impact on malaria prevention.
The report provides a brief overview of the situation of children in rural Liberia, a description of the “Parents Make a Difference” program, and the theory of change behind that program. The report also includes the results of the study; conclusions based on the evaluation; and recommendations for research, policy and programming. Recommendations are made to the government of Liberia, donors and policymakers in the region, as well as practitioners and researchers.
