Background
Methods
Study design and data collection
Data collection
Documents analysis
Interviews
Sampling method and setting
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Specializing in majors related to children or neuroscience, social sciences, human sciences, and rehabilitation sciences
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Having at least three years of professional experience with children in non-governmental or governmental sectors
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Having a position related to children’s affairs in non-governmental or governmental sectors at the time of the study
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Having knowledge of macro policies related to children.
Data analysis
Results
1. Factors affecting agenda setting for IECD | |||
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Theme | subtheme | Examples | Relation |
1.1- Problem stream | Appreciating the need for a multifaceted, integrated, and justice-oriented approach to child development | -Lack of emphasis on eliminating the existing inequalities. - Lack of focus on all aspects of children’s development - Lack of integration and coordination between various policies and programs | (PM13) (CSP23) (M 27) |
Ignoring child-related affairs compared to other public issues | - Lack of serious attention to child-related issues - Low priority of ECD compared to other programs | (PM21) (CSP16) | |
Children’s inability to speak their needs and rights | -Ignoring children’s rights and needs -Need for a certain body to take care of child-related issues | (M7) (Aca3) | |
1.2- Politics stream | Increased scientific evidence for the importance of IECD | -Understanding the importance of ECD by some policymakers -Considering numerous studies and reports in the world -Indicating the need for investing in ECD, including the Heckman study or papers published in the Lancet. | (PM32) |
International political movements | -Addressing equity from the start according to the recommendations for closing the gap in a generation. -International organizations’ instructions and objectives regarding the rights of the child and ECD | (PM8) | |
National political movements | - Referring to ECD in the Sixth Development Plan -Establishing the Committee on Social Determinants of Health and designating ECD as a priority | (PM30) (PM8) | |
1.3- Policy stream | Designing a national policy for IECD | -Assembling committees in different fields to prepare reports on children’s status -Establishing the IECD secretariat in the Ministry of Health | (PM12) (PM13) |
2. Factors affecting formulation of IECD policies | |||
Theme | Subthemes | Examples | Relation |
2.1- Formulation and approval process | Lengthy and time-consuming administrative procedures for formulating and approving policies | -Spending a long time on planning and formulating IECD documents -Expiration of policies before implementation -Slow pace of processes; -Current policies not being up-to-date due to long intervals between formulation and implementation | (PM25) (NGO-P 28) |
Perfectionism and duplication in formulating programs | -Spending a long time on, formulating and duplicating programs and documents -Presence of several documents and programs regarding IECD with different titles | (PM32) (PM30) | |
2.2- Policy sustainability | Policies changes as a result of changing the managers | -Differences in prioritization -Differences in adopted solutions for addressing problems -Failure to achieve the intended approach in the ECD program -Lack of belief in activities with long-term results and focusing on fast-yielding activities due to short management life | (Aca 24) (M6) (PM8) |
2.3- Mechanisms regarding the participation of stakeholders in policymaking | Lack of participation from other organizations in policy formulation | -Other organizations having no feeling of belonging to programs -Emergence of tensions between organizations and lack of opportunity for optimal collaboration in implementing policies and programs | (M 27) (PM19) |
Inappropriate composition of the Supreme Council of Health Policy | -Not using different specializations like sociology, psychology, economic, etc. for policymaking and decision-making | (Aca3) | |
Using people sharing similar views with the Ministry of Health in related committees | -Removing individuals with opposite views from related committees; -Lack of attention to opposite views in related committees -Unwillingness to suggest opposite ideas for fear of being removed from the related committees | (PM15) | |
3. Factors affecting implementation of ICED policies | |||
Theme | Subtheme | Examples | Relation |
3.1- Conceptual ambiguity | Different interpretations and lack of consensus on the concept of ECD | -Creating problems due to incorrect understanding of the concept of ECD -Resistance against ECD due to considering it a western concept | (PM19) (Aca26) |
3.2- Intersectoral issues | Intersectoral competition | -Poor intersectoral collaboration -Conflicts over stewardship -Resistance against the leading or coordinating role of a same-level organization and believing in supervision and leadership from higher levels -Inconsistency between the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Social Welfare. -Pursuing benefits of organization or union. -Weak inter-sectoral collaboration due to cultural context. | (CSP23) (Aca 24) (PM10) (NGO-P 11) (PM 19) |
Inefficiency of intersectoral collaboration in the form of intersectoral agreements | -Organizations’ lack of commitment to intersectoral agreements due to lack of executive requirements | (PM8) | |
3.3- Trans-sectoral issues | Lack of political commitment | -Lack of adequate support from high-level managers for implementing the Document -Lack of executive will due to lack of support from the program in high governmental levels -Lack of commitment in top level managers and convening few meetings in top echelons of organizations in this regard | (PM8) (PM22) (M14) |
Lack of a supreme body or structure for monitoring and coordinating childhood development programs | -Sameness of supervising and executive bodies in children-related issues -Lack of accountability in organizations involved in children’s issues for their programs -Lack of coordination between different organizations involved in children’s issues and problems resulting from lack of coordination including parallel works, waste of resources, contrasting programs, and lack of a comprehensive data bank for children’s data in different areas | (PM31) (PM36) | |
Legal issues | -Inappropriate laws for children and the violation of their rights -Different interpretations of laws resulting in confusion in implementing them -Decreased commitment of organizations to enforcing laws -Presence of legal gaps in some areas related to children | (PM38) (NGO-P2) (CSP35) (PM31) | |
3.4- Mobilization of resources | Shortage of skilled service providers in some fields of ECD | -High workload of healthcare staff for accepting new responsibilities like screening programs -Lack of attention to standards in hiring manpower in kindergartens in terms of numbers of staff and skills -Lack of trained manpower in schools as providers of healthcare and development services -Lack of skilled manpower in some parts of the country in fields of counselling, child psychology, social work, etc. -Absence of a curriculum related to ECD in the education of child-related service providers | (PM10) (PM13) (CSP18) (M14) |
Inadequate budget and improper budget allocation | -Not allocating sufficient budget to ECD due to the low share of health sector and the low share of preventive measures in the budget. -Developmental screening in one age range due to severe shortage of financial resources for developmental screening -Inability to implement efficient educational programs about child development due to the shortage of resources -Insufficiency of allocated budget relative to the total number of children suffering from malnutrition | (M17) (CSP30) (PM10) (M17) | |
Lack of insurance coverage for some services like rehabilitation for developmental disorders, special diseases, counselling, etc. for children | -Increased exposure of families to catastrophic health expenditures -Lack of involvement of specialists working in fields related to children in the diagnosis and treatment of developmental disorders due to lack of insurance coverage and similarity of fees | (PM21) (PM 15) | |
3.5- Structural capacities | Unavailability of required infrastructures | -Shortage of diagnostic and rehabilitative facilities and equipment for developmental disorders -Lack of standard educational environments in kindergartens and primary schools -Unavailability of Kindergarten services for all children -Lack of structures for taking care of the developmental issues of children aged 3–6 years in areas of cognitive, emotional, and social development | (CSP16) (PM12) (Aca37) |
Differences in executive structures at the provincial level | -Creating executive barriers due to lack of knowledge about ECD and executive structures of the State Welfare Organization and the Ministry of Education at the provincial level | (PM35) | |
Weakness in referral and healthcare systems | -Problems in referring children with developmental disorders to second and third levels of healthcare due to lack of the implementation of a referral system -Healthcare system’s lack of capacity for screening children in all age ranges -Problems in the follow-up of children with developmental disorders -Failure to achieve the principles of community participation and intersectoral collaboration in PHC | (Aca24) (M17) (CSP33) (PM12) | |
4. Factors affecting the evaluation of IECD policies | |||
Theme | Subtheme | Examples | Relation |
4.1- Continuous and routine data registry system | Lack of a comprehensive and integrated data registry system | -Lack of an integrated, accurate, and comprehensive database on different aspects of child development | (PM12) |
Superficiality of data collection mechanisms and insufficient research capacities | -Relying on available data and lack of surveys and case studies -Unreliability of available data | (PM32) | |
-Impossibility of responding to children’s issues via single-field activities due to their complexity, variety, and comprehensiveness | (Aca 24) | ||
-Deficiencies in applied research in the field of children -Lack of interdisciplinary relationship in child-related research activities | (PM12) (PM35) | ||
4.2- Comprehensiveness of indexes | Limiting IECD indexes to current indexes | -Lack of indexes in some areas and ignoring these indexes -Inadequate attention to distributive and justice-oriented indexes -Inadequate attention to qualitative indexes in different areas related to children. | (M 27) (PM13) (PM32) |
Lack of a reference body for formulating and designing comprehensive indexes | -Reporting a limited number of indexes by different organizations involved with children | (PM12) |
Problem stream
“Well, you can see there are various nutrition programs in the country but there are two points that have not been considered before the introduction of ECD. One is an integrated and comprehensive approach and the other is justice, both of which are very important in this policy. (PM13) “.
Politics stream
“One of the most important subjects in social determinants of health is early childhood development. Why? Because interventions are far more effective if they start from early childhood. Second, there are recommendations for closing the gap in a generation that emphasize equity from the start. In prioritizing SDH domains, 14 priority subjects were determined, including ECD as a very important one. We started working on all 14 priorities, including ECD, resulting in the establishment of the corresponding secretariat in the Ministry of Health and designing a comprehensive document for it. I think it goes back to 2010-2011.” (PM8).
Policy stream
“Well, in response to the concerns and interests of elites and key people in the field of children, presence of scientific and international evidence, and advances in reduced mortality and enhanced physical development of children, the policy stream has been created in Iran in the form of formulating the IECD document and establishing the corresponding secretariat. “(PM13).
Formulation and approval process
“The policy draft was finally prepared after a long time of about one year and a half. It was approved by the SCHFS on August 14, 2013 but in the next government, it became a matter of debate between the three involved organizations. Finally, it took 3-4 years until it was appended to the agenda of the committees of SCHFS and approved, and the executive mechanism of the document was approved in Moeen Council, which is presided by the Minister of Health and attended by deputy ministers,” (PM25).
Policy sustainability
“The drawback of our structures is that contents are produced, but the next managers may not be committed to the contents and may have their own way around. These policies are not stable, nor are they sustainable and each manager designs and formulates policies from his or her own perspective,” (PM35).
Mechanisms of stakeholders’ participation in policymaking
“Intended participation in the form of a secretariat of the three main organizations involved in TECD policy is not a real participation, which does not seek help from our organizations in the production of content, and our participation is only for giving and receiving feedback.” (PM19).
Conceptual ambiguity
“One of the main challenges is the term ECD itself because it is not a native and Persian term and some of the colleagues are sensitive to ECD without paying attention to its content. It has caused many problems in the implementation. It was supposed to be called TAK (Persian equivalent for ECD).” (PM19).
Intersectoral issues
“We only have a comprehensive and integrated view to the development of children in our policy design, and not in the implementation thereof. As for intersectoral collaboration, some actors in the organizations involved in this project do not feel so responsible and are more involved in organizational competitions.” (PM13).
Trans-sectoral issues
“Generally, in every country, an item receives attention if it is one of the priorities of the politicians and vice versa. Children and their related issues are not a priority for the country for the time being and there is no trace of ECD in public policymaking,” (CSP16).
Mobilization of resources
“The role of pediatrician can be very important, but they only learn diagnosis and treatment of diseases while the promotion of development and even the treatment of developmental disorders are as non-pharmacological discussions.” (M14).“One of the challenges is the lack of funding. In this regard, and in formulating the Sixth National Development Plan, we suggested the allocation of one percent of our GDP to ECD, but this was not approved. (PM39).”
Structural capacities
“The education sector is still unable to provide the safe and standard physical facilities in kindergartens and primary schools.” (PM12).
“We have a problem in referring children with developmental disorders to second and third levels of healthcare due to lack of an implemented referral system” (Aca24).
Continuous and routine data registry system
“We should have a registry database. Every organization may have some data, for example, the Welfare Organization has the number of child laborers by nationality or age, but I have doubts about the validity of these data. I don’t know if these data are valid and reliable. How did they even find and count them? What I say is that we should have a complete data registry for different aspects of child development, similar to what we have for HIV/AIDS in the Ministry of Health. As for child abuse, dropout children, neglected children, and children’s educational status, I believe that the statistics, if there are any, are not valid and accurate.” (PM12).
Comprehensiveness of indexes
“In the field of education, the age group 4-6 years that is related to the policies made by Preschool Education Department, the coverage rate has increased by about 40%, i.e. it has increased from 32% to 70%; this growth has a large contribution to child development. However, special education indexes have not been evaluated. In other words, we have no indexes to determine where preschool children were and where they are now. We can only claim that we have increased the coverage rate, but it is not enough.” (PM32).
Discussion
Developing strategic skills in policy community members to manage conflicts and choose effective participation mechanisms
Sustainability of designed policies and avoidance to change them after changing the managers
Necessity of a supreme institution or body for coordinating and supervising children’s affairs
Political commitment and willingness in policymakers and high-level managers
Availability of information and indexes for various aspects of children’s development
Promoting financial context and resources
Conclusion
Strengths and limitations
Policy recommendations
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Mobilizing child-friendly media and groups, including child-friendly physicians, child-friendly lawyers, etc.
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Advocacy from high levels of government in connection with the importance of early childhood development policy.
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Strengthening inter-sectoral collaboration through incorporating it in the mission and evaluation of organizations, promoting commitment in the high levels of organizations, and developing an inter-ministerial policymaking framework that clearly specifies the roles and responsibilities of every sector and their interactions and collaborations.
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Promoting public awareness and support to maximize health and reduce potential remedial risk factors during pregnancy and after birth to 8 years of age.
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Developing applied and interdisciplinary research in the area of children to improve evidence-based policies.
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Designing appropriate intervention packages and programs to promote children’s development.
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Developing a universal service package for children and families.
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Explicit addressing of the issues and subjects related to ECD in the upstream documents of the country.
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Establishing parenting training and family empowerment programs.
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Prioritizing children in the welfare umbrella and paying attention to children in support of low-income families to reduce injustice.
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Promoting the quality of early childhood education services and emphasizing the training of life skills.
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Improving health programs in kindergartens and schools to meet the nutrition and physical activity needs of children in these environments.
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Empowering service providers in the field of children in connection with ECD.
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Improving screening and preventive interventions including screening for metabolic diseases and developmental disorders in children.
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Strengthening the existing executive infrastructures for optimal education of children.
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Designing a monitoring system in relation to various children’s affairs and creating a comprehensive data bank on various dimensions and areas of children’s development.
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Establishing an upstream institution or body such as the Children’s Commission in The Islamic Consultative Assembly or the Ministry of Children to coordinate, and conduct surveillance on, the affairs of children.
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Utilizing the capacity of NGOs and the private sector in policymaking and implementation.
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Reforming some laws and developing other laws with executive guarantees in order to protect children.