Focusing on 13 program sites in KwaZulu-Natal, this report describes the support offered by Isibindi Child and Youth Care Workers (CYCWs) to beneficiary families as well as changes in key measures of children’s wellbeing over a two year period. We further examine differences in the provision of care and support services and changes in wellbeing between beneficiaries at high- and lower-functioning Isibindi sites, according to NACCW’s own site assessment process. This report leverages both quantitative and qualitative results in order to more fully understand how the program is working and which areas may be in need of further attention to maximize program impact on beneficiaries. Results suggest that a complex array of both site-level and individual factors affect what CYCWs are able to accomplish and how children’s lives are different as a result, and that not all of the changes may be captured in standard beneficiary surveys.
This investigation is part of a larger two-year program evaluation undertaken in KwaZulu-Natal. The broader study is designed to assess the impact of various home visiting models on service delivery and subsequent child wellbeing. NACCW and their community based organization (CBO) collaborators together represent one of three service organizations participating in the evaluation. For a more detailed account of the evaluation background, methodology and results, readers are referred to the research brief, The impact of paraprofessional versus volunteer-driven home visiting programs on the wellbeing of orphans and vulnerable children: Evidence from a longitudinal evaluation in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This brief also offers detailed program implications designed to help guide future investments in service delivery.
Suggested Citation: Thurman TR, Kidman R, Taylor TM, and Chiroro P. (2013). Isibindi: A longitudinal evaluation of selected sites in KwaZulu-Natal. New Orleans, Louisiana: Tulane University. . New Orleans, Louisiana: Tulane University.
