The Family Strengthening Intervention, Early Childhood Development and Violence Prevention Project (FSI-ECD+VP), with support from Boston College, today convened a Community Advisory Board (CAB) meeting at the Caritas Freetown Field Office, Brookfields. The meeting brought together 10 distinguished experts in Early Childhood Development (ECD), CAB members, and project staff to review progress and provide strategic guidance for strengthening and expanding the intervention.
The meeting aimed to gather expert insights and feedback on the ongoing ECD intervention, assess its effectiveness, identify strengths and gaps, and develop practical strategies to ensure sustainability, cultural relevance, and long-term impact of the project.
Key discussions focused on practical strategies to help caregivers, both male and female, manage stress and frustration within the home environment. Participants also examined early warning signs that interventionists should monitor when caregiver stress begins to pose potential risks to children and family wellbeing.
The CAB further explored existing gaps in parenting interventions, particularly the limited participation of male caregivers. Discussions highlighted possible reasons for low male involvement and proposed strategies to encourage their engagement in future project roll-outs.
Another major area of discussion centered on contextualizing the FSI-ECD+VP intervention to suit diverse communities. Participants emphasized the importance of cultural relevance, local context adaptation, and community ownership in ensuring effective implementation.
Experts commended several positive outcomes of the intervention, noting that training sessions for educators and caregivers have strengthened local capacity, improved knowledge of early childhood development, and enhanced the delivery of supportive services for vulnerable families.
However, while the overall progress was viewed positively, the CAB emphasized the need for stronger multi-sectoral collaboration among government institutions, NGOs, and community stakeholders. Participants also recommended reinforcing monitoring and evaluation frameworks to guide adaptive learning, ensure accountability, and sustain project impact beyond initial implementation phases.
The CAB meeting reaffirmed the commitment of Caritas Freetown, Boston College, and stakeholders to promoting safe, nurturing environments for children while strengthening family resilience and community support systems across intervention communities.
