Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Project Concern International, Courtesy of Photoshare

MEASURE Evaluation works to improve programs for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) by providing much-needed data about programs and populations. MEASURE Evaluation is building OVC M&E capacity globally through indicator and tool development, program evaluation, data triangulation, and technical assistance and mentoring both directly and via the Child Status Network, an online community of practice. 

Tools

MEASURE Evaluation is developing a set of impact evaluation tools for OVC programs. As a first step in this activity, the project developed a minimum set of impact indicators for use in OVC programs globally.

Child Status Index

MEASURE Evaluation developed and tested the Child Status Index (CSI), a toolkit that assists service providers to monitor changes in child well-being. The toolkit assesses vulnerabilities, needs, and outcomes of OVC and provides a framework for identifying these children's needs, and creating service plans.

MEASURE Evaluation recently completed a qualitative study that assessed how OVC programs are implementing and using the Child Status Index, and how well it can be implemented by low-literate community caregivers to periodically capture children’s status across the six domains of PEPFAR OVC programming. The study provides further insight into OVC program field needs for additional tools to meet care, support and M&E demands. The study findings have led to several programmatic changes including enhanced guidance and improved training materials and methodology. 

Community-Level Program Information Reporting for HIV/AIDS Programs (beta version)

This toolkit supports harmonized monitoring and reporting systems that capture indicator data from programs for effective program management and decision making at all levels.

Compendium of Child Survival Monitoring and Evaluation Tools 

This compendium includes a variety of population- and facility-based assessment tools which can be used at different levels of the health system.

M&E of Child Health Programs 

This guide intends to help international efforts succeed by providing information about effective M&E.

Building National OVC M&E Systems

OVC Data Use

An East African regional data demand and use workshop was conducted with OVC country teams from Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania to strengthen the management of OVC programs through better use of data and to build capacity of U.S. government, host government and partner staff on OVC information use, and to strengthen commitment for data-focused action planning. This workshop built upon a multi-country OVC mapping activity conducted under an earlier phase of the project. The OVC mapping activity provided guidance on how data and geographic mapping can be used to better support decision makers and program planners to allocate resources effectively and efficiently.

OVC Program Evaluations

MEASURE Evaluation conducts evaluations of OVC programs. The aim of these evaluations is to ascertain the extent to which program interventions are effective in improving the well-being of OVC.

OVC Program Case Studies

Case studies of OVC programs in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa were produced to fill a knowledge gap between the influx of programs and little evidence to their impact and effectiveness.

OVC M&E Community of Practice

The Child Status Network (ChildStatusNet) was formed for users and potential users of the CSI toolkit to share best practices and lessons learned in its implementation among service providers to OVC. ChildStatusNet membership is open to M&E staff, program managers, and consultants.