A joint initiative of the Save the Children Alliance/ UNICEF / Seto Gurans National Child Development Services City University of New York's Children's Environments Research Group/ Tribhuvan University's Centre for Education and Research in Development.

The study examines the child rearing beliefs and practices of families in four rural villages in Nepal. It considers their hopes and expectations for their children, as well as their concerns and frustrations and the very real constraints. It looks at how families work to ensure that their children grow up healthy, with enough to eat, and protected from harm; how they support their developing identities and their opportunities for learning; and how they encourage their capacity to get along with others and to contribute to their families and communities (- in other words all the areas of development which concern ECD programs).

It considers the different expectations for sons and daughters, and the effects that these expectations have. Because families and their children do not exist in a vacuum, this study also considers the larger context of family and village life. It looks at the village setting, at social and economic realities, at gender and caste issues, at culture and the process of change. All of these factors have an impact on the survival strategies of families, on their values and beliefs, and on the way they shape their children's lives

The study was qualitative and made use of approaches based on participatory learning and action (PLA), as well as ethnographic interviews and observation. It is the participatory methods developed which are of broad relevance to ECD programming. Indeed a major goal of the study was to develop methods to facilitate collaborative dialogue around key issues for children as the basis for joint planning. The methods used have been compiled into a toolkit and Participatory Research Handbook: 'Conversations with Families: To Prepare for Early Childhood Programming.' The study attempts to achieve a balance - not shying away from the very real issues that must be addressed but giving attention also to the positive. An initial information-gathering phase was followed by preliminary analysis (using a very practical child rights framework,  see our suggested links for Child Rights or search the Library for related documents) and a dialogue phase.

Guiding the design of these dialogue sessions was an understanding that we have much to learn from each other - no one group having a monopoly on understanding how best to raise children. The emphasis was on sharing perspectives--acknowledging the validity of local knowledge and beliefs as well as the value of the principles that inform child focused agencies. This stimulated rich discussion - expanding understanding of children's practices that were clearly at odds with the principles of children's rights - such as discrimination against girls in health-seeking behaviors or opportunities for play and learning. Whether such issues were the product of cultural norms or economic pressures, researchers had to find ways to address and debate them with villagers. The effectiveness of the methods in opening up discussion and the enthusiasm of families means that the methods detailed in the toolkit will become an integral part of parenting programmes and other ECD initiatives.

The recommendations not surprisingly however are not only for action within families and communities, but also for mechanisms and policies at district and national levels that can ensure implementation and follow-up and support systemic change. Often ECD programs focus on strengthening caregiving practices. However, strengthening practices is only part of the picture. The study confirmed the extent to which systems are set up in ways that exclude or marginalize certain children; health services are inaccessible or unaffordable; education and employment opportunities may be hard for certain families or castes to access. It is important to take a systemic view and create programming that strengthens all the systems that must eventually support and sustain families. The need for more comprehensive, synergistic approaches to childcare and development –with concern both for children's health and nutrition and their psycho-social development is also emphasized.