Formative research on parenting in Aceh – and the development of a curriculum and materials: formative research final report

In the context of the continued problem of child malnutrition and stunting in Indonesia, with the latter particularly serious in Aceh, IKEA and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are implementing a programme to enhance the health and wellbeing of children in Aceh, focusing on the role of parenting practices. The present formative research supports this programme by providing data on: 1) current parenting practices, beliefs, and norms related to early childhood care, particularly related to optimal breastfeeding, complementary feeding practice, and household sanitation practices; 2) how current parenting sessions are being delivered by the cadres that implement Pos Pelayanan Terpadu (posyandu), Integrated Services Centres, and Bina Keluarga Balita (BKB), the parenting programme of Badan Kependudukan dan Keluarga Berencana Nasional (BKKBN), the Family Planning Board; and 3) parental methods for acquiring new knowledge, as well as potential opportunities and barriers to the adoption of positive practice, and how male caregivers, especially fathers, can be engaged in parenting sessions.
The formative research was conducted in six villages across two sampled districts, Simeulue and Aceh Jaya, with variations in their rate of stunting among children under five (Simeulue – 50%, Aceh Jaya – 35%), in a mix of urban, peri-urban, and rural areas. The research participants included: posyandu cadres; BKB cadres; pregnant women; mothers and fathers; grandmothers; non-parent carers; village heads; religious leaders; the Petugas Lapangan Keluarga Berencana (PLKB); Family Planning Field Officers; midwives; midwife coordinators; the District Family Planning Office; the District Health Office (DHO); and women’s leaders. The study adopted a qualitative approach to the collection and analysis of data from these participants, applying the following tools: interviews guided by tailored interview guides; behaviour-centred design (BCD) data collection tools; site observation, to get a better understanding of the posyandu and BKB; and participant observation, involving researchers participating in the everyday life of parents of young children.