Researchers tested a special program called Stepping Stones in 106 villages in rural India to help parents better care for their young children. The program taught parents how to play with, feed, and talk to their babies and toddlers. Local women volunteers led most of the sessions, and even fathers started joining in more often. After two years, children in the program showed better thinking, moving, and talking skills compared to kids who didn’t get the program. The biggest improvements happened in the poorest families, showing that community-based programs can really help children develop better when everyone works together.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether a community-based parenting program could help young children develop better thinking, movement, and language skills in rural Indian villages
  • Who participated: 656 pregnant women from 106 villages in rural Maharashtra, India, who were followed until their children turned 2 years old
  • Key finding: Children in villages with the program showed significantly better development in all areas, with the poorest families seeing the biggest improvements
  • What it means for you: Community programs that teach parents how to interact with their young children can make a real difference, especially for families with fewer resources

The Research Details

This was a cluster-randomized controlled trial, which means researchers randomly chose some villages to get the special program while others continued with regular government services. They followed 656 pregnant women until their babies turned 2 years old. The program taught parents about responsive parenting and good nutrition, working alongside existing government childcare centers called Anganwadis. Local women volunteers called Balsakhis were trained to lead most of the sessions in their own communities.

This type of study design is important because it shows what happens in real-world conditions, not just in a laboratory. By comparing villages that got the program to those that didn’t, researchers could see if the program actually made a difference in children’s development.

This study was well-designed because it randomly assigned villages to different groups, followed families for a full two years, and measured children’s development using standard tests. The large number of villages and families involved makes the results more reliable.

What the Results Show

The program was very successful in getting communities involved. About 85% of families participated in at least one activity, and 70% came to sessions regularly. One of the biggest changes was that fathers started participating much more - going from just 4.3% to over 33% joining caregiving sessions. The local women volunteers became so skilled that they ran over 80% of the sessions on their own. Most importantly, children in the program villages showed better development in thinking, moving, and language skills compared to children in villages without the program.

The program worked especially well for the poorest families. Children from the lowest-income families showed the biggest improvements in cognitive development, with an effect size of 0.92, which is considered very large. These same children also had significant gains in motor skills and language development. The program successfully worked with existing government services rather than replacing them.

This study adds to growing evidence that community-based early childhood programs can work well in low-resource settings. What makes this study special is that it showed how to successfully involve fathers and work with existing government programs, which many previous studies struggled to achieve.

The study was done in one specific region of India, so the results might not apply everywhere. The researchers also noted that it takes time and resources to build strong community engagement, which might be challenging in some settings. The study didn’t follow children beyond age 2, so we don’t know if the benefits last longer.

The Bottom Line

Communities and governments should consider implementing similar programs that train local volunteers to teach parenting skills, especially in areas with limited resources. Programs should focus on engaging both mothers and fathers and work with existing services rather than creating entirely new systems.

Parents of young children, especially in low-resource communities, community health workers, and policymakers working on early childhood development programs should pay attention to these findings.

The study showed benefits after 2 years, but families started seeing increased participation and engagement within months of the program starting.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily parent-child interaction time, including play, reading, and conversation activities
  • Set daily goals for responsive parenting activities like talking to your child during daily routines, playing simple games, and reading or telling stories
  • Monitor child development milestones monthly and track family engagement in learning activities weekly

This research was conducted in a specific rural Indian setting. Parents should consult with their pediatrician or child development specialist for personalized advice about their child’s development and appropriate interventions for their specific situation.