Ibhayi Lengane
A pilot study to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a relationship-based early parenting add-on package to support early child development in KwaZulu-Natal.
This research is an important step to determine whether an intervention is appropriate for further testing before undertaking large scale evaluations or controlled studies. The aim of this research project was to provide both the donor (Ilifa Labantwana) and the proposed service provider (The Department of Health) with information which would help them assess whether or not the Ibhayi Lengane intervention is acceptable, feasible to deliver within the public health system and likely to have the impact expected.
The feasbility study demonstrates that the Ibhayi Lengane programme is not only feasible but also highly acceptable to both provincial and district health stakeholders; to the community caregivers delivering it, and to the mothers receiving it. It demonstrates that the intervention has the effect that it was expected to, based on the proposed hypothesis and that the results demonstrate potential to show a positive impact if tested at a larger scale. Likewise, it found that proposed measures are adequate and reliable for assessing the impact of the intervention.
