An estimated 88 million children drop out of primary school each year worldwide, and the highest number of dropouts are in the first and second grade. A proven strategy to reduce dropout from primary school is participation in early childhood care and education (ECCE) services that bolster young children's health, development and readiness for school. Access to quality ECCE services remains highly limited in Pakistan: less than 50% of four-year-olds are estimated to attend ECCE services, and skilled ECCE workers remain scarce. To address these challenges, LEAPS (Youth Leaders for Early Childhood Assuring Children are Prepared for School) was developed as a cross-generational strategy to support the learning and development of young children (3.5- to 5.5-year-olds) and female youth (18- to 24-year-olds). The program provides vocational training to female youth, referred to as Community Youth Leaders (CYLs), to deliver a community-based preschool program in rural Sindh, Pakistan. The LEAPS program was previously developed in partnership with Pakistan's National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), a government entity charged with supporting community health, education, and vocational training programs. Efficacy and feasibility of the LEAPS strategy were demonstrated through a prior pilot evaluated in a cluster-randomized controlled trial in 2015 (NCT02645162). The NCHD is now seeking to integrate the LEAPS program within their full suite of services and to scale the program across 99 villages in rural Sindh under the technical guidance and support of a local implementation support team led by the Aga Khan University. This intervention utilizes two strategies: i) the first is the implementation of the LEAPS program, led by NCHD; and ii) the second is the technical support of the NCHD, to ensure the system is able to support program expansion and sustainability. This study uses a cluster-randomized stepped-wedge design with three steps to assess program impact on school readiness and child and youth development outcomes across the 99 villages ("clusters"). All clusters will begin in the control state (i.e. access to standard community services). Prior to the start of the trial, clusters will be randomized to 'cross-over' to the intervention state (i.e. introduction of the LEAPS-NCHD program) during one of three sequential steps. Each step will be approximately 9-11 months. By the end of the trial, all clusters will have been exposed to the intervention. Measurement is assessed across all clusters at each step. The total duration of the trial will be 31 months. A process evaluation will also be conducted to examine the large-scale implementation of the LEAPS-NCHD Program.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
3,858
The LEAPS-NCHD program trains young women aged 18 - 24 years with a minimum of 10 years of basic education to be preschool teachers, or Community Youth Leaders (CYLs) in community-based preschools in rural Sindh. CYLs will receive two weeks of classroom-based basic-training and 6 months of on-the-job coaching and support. A maximum of 20 children aged 3.5 -5 years old will be enrolled in each preschool. One preschool will be opened per cluster (village). Children will receive a minimum of 6 months of program exposure between assessment rounds.
Aga Khan University Naushahro Feroze Office
Naushahro Fīroz, Sindh, Pakistan
School readiness
School readiness of children aged 54 - 66 months assessed using the International Development \& Early Learning Assessment (IDELA). IDELA includes domains for emergent math (7 items), socio-emotional development (5 items), self-regulation (1 item), emergent literacy (6 items), fine motor skills (3 items), and gross motor skills (1 item). Total scores are calculated for each domain, and a total IDELA score for school readiness is generated from the domain scores. Higher scores reflect better outcomes.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Child executive functioning skills: working memory
Direct assessment examining working memory capacity among children aged 54 - 66 months using the Corsi Block-tapping Test (Noel, 2009). The child's score reflects the longest sequence for which two block series were repeated correctly, plus 0.5 if one longer series was also correctly processed (range: 0 - 4 points). Higher scores indicate better outcomes.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Child general executive functioning skills
The Head Toes Knees Shoulders task (Ponitz et al., 2008) will be used to assess general executive functioning skills among children aged 54 - 66 months. The assessment contains two sections, part one being easier and part two more challenging. Child participants may receive 0 to 20 points for each section. Scores will be presented separately for each section. Higher scores reflect better outcomes.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Child executive functioning skills: inhibitory control
Direct assessment examining inhibitory control skills among children aged 54 - 66 months using the Knock and Tap assessment (Molfese et al., 2010). Total score is the sum across 16 items (range: 0-16 points). Higher scores reflect better outcomes.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Child executive functioning skills: inhibitory control
Direct assessment examining inhibitory control skills among children aged 54 - 66 months using the Peg Tap assessment (range: 0-16 points) (Molfese et al., 2010). Total score is the sum across 16 items. Higher scores reflect better outcomes.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Child executive functioning skills: cognitive flexibility
Direct assessment of cognitive flexibility skills among children aged 54 - 66 months, using the Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) (Carlson, 2005). Participants are requested to sort cards at 3 levels. In the "separated" level, the cards depict a black silhouette shape (e.g., rabbit or boat) on a colored card. Thus, the shape and color dimensions are separated. In the "integrated" level, the shape and color are integrated on the card (i.e., red rabbit and blue boat). During "switch trials," participants must change the dimension being matched. In the "border" level, the integrated pictures from the previous level are used, but half of the cards have borders. Five subscores will be examined: Total number correct trials on the separated level, pre- and post-switch (0-6 points each); total number correct trials on the integrated level, pre- and post-switch (0-6 points each); and total correct on the border version (0-12 points). Higher scores reflect better outcomes.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Youth executive functioning skills: working memory
Direct assessment to examine working memory skills of youth using the Backward Word Span task (Davis et al., 1995). The participant's score reflects the longest sequence for which two series were repeated correctly, plus 0.5 if one longer series was also correctly processed (range: 0 - 6 points). Higher scores reflect better outcomes.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Youth executive functioning skills: working memory
Direct assessment to examine working memory capacity of youth using the Corsi Block-tapping Test (Kessels et al., 2000). Participants will be administered two tests: a forward and a backward test. A score will be awarded for each test, reflecting the longest sequence for which two series were repeated correctly, plus 0.5 if one longer series was also correctly processed (range for each: 0 - 7 points). Higher scores reflect better outcomes
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Youth executive functioning skills: inhibitory control
Direct assessment to examine inhibitory control skills of youth using the Number Stroop Effect (Stroop, 1935). Points are summed across 20 items to calculate the overall sum score (range: 0-20 points). Higher scores reflect better outcomes.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Youth executive functioning skills: cognitive flexibility
Direct assessment to examine cognitive flexibility skills of youth using the Trail Making Task (TMT) (Lezak, 1995; Reitan \& Wolfson, 1993). Scores reflect the time for completion in seconds, with the maximum time limit being 300 seconds (range: 0-300). Lower scores indicate a better outcome.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Youth personal and professional development
Self-reported questionnaire developed for study context which includes items examining aspects of professional and personal development pertaining to autonomy, self-efficacy, self-esteem, professional growth and aspirations. This does not include a standardized scale.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Youth self-reported depressive symptoms
Youth self-reported depressive symptoms using the Self Reporting Questionnaire 20-item (SRQ-20). Items are summed for a total score of depressive symptoms over the last 30 days (range: 0 - 20 points). Higher scores reflect poor outcomes.
Time frame: Up to 31 months
Classroom structural and process quality
Classroom quality assessed using the Measure of Early Learning Environments (MELE) module of the Measuring Early Learning Quality and Outcomes (MELQO) tool.
Time frame: Assessed after program has been running for a minimum of 2 months
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