Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-19-2025
Abstract
To address the need for interventions targeting social emotional development and mental health of young children in South Africa, the Mazi Umntanakho (‘know your child’) digital tool was co-designed, and piloted with caregivers and 3–5-year-old children involved in home visiting programmes promoting early childhood development. The aim of this study was to qualitatively evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of this tool in four urban and four rural low-income communities, from the perspective of home visitors and caregivers. Focus groups were conducted with home visitors (n = 117) and caregivers (n = 72). Issues relating to the feasibility of implementing the tool included timing of using the tool, technical and social implementation challenges, WhatsApp as the preferred platform, and participants' recommendations for future implementation. Overall, the tool was acceptable for home visitors and caregivers and was perceived to have a positive impact on children's development, and the relationship between caregivers and children.
Recommended Citation
Draper, C.E., Cook, C.J., Ankrah, E.A., Beltran, J.A., Cibrian, F.L., Lakes, K.D., Mofid, H., Williams, L. and Hayes, G.R. (2025), Feasibility and Acceptability of the Mazi Umntanakho Digital Tool in South African Settings: A Qualitative Evaluation. Inf Child Dev, 34: e2567. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2567
Data S1. Supporting Information.
Copyright
The authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Included in
African Studies Commons, Child Psychology Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, Development Studies Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Other Computer Engineering Commons, Other Computer Sciences Commons, Other Electrical and Computer Engineering Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons
Comments
This article was originally published in Infant and Child Development, volume 34, issue 1, in 2025. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2567