Pilot Test of Alternative Childcare Indicators in Moldova

The activity was conducted with support from the MEASURE Evaluation project, which was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), during the period 2017 to 2019. The development of the alternative childcare indicators was triggered by several challenges identified during an assessment of the alternative childcare system undertaken by MEASURE Evaluation, including the inability to measure important aspects of alternative care, the low quality of some data collected, and poor use of collected data for decision making. The working group agreed to 28 alternative childcare indicators and subsequently developed indicator reference sheets (IRS) for them. Each IRS has the indicator definition, disaggregations, and the calculation formula; methods of data collection, aggregation, and reporting; indicator utility; quality issues that may arise; frequency of reporting and dissemination; and relevant references. Given the absence of digital data collection, the MOHLSP decided to pilot test the indicators using electronic tools. The first version of the electronic tools for collecting data for 26 of the 28 indicators was developed during the MEASURE Evaluation project. The tools were further developed in 2020 with the support of the USAID-funded project, Data for Impact (D4I): Harnessing the Power of Data for the Benefit of the Child. The pilot test was conducted under the D4I project, which aims to strengthen the capacity of the government and its national partners to collect, analyze, and use data to inform decision making. The pilot test was designed to assess the utility of the alternative childcare indicators and related electronic tools for increasing the efficiency of the data collection and reporting processes, and for evidence-based decision making. The pilot test was conducted in Moldova, with the support of the MOHLSP and the territorial social assistance structures (TSAS). The pilot test process involved several stages, including the development of the electronic tools, the training of community social assistants (CSA) and other stakeholders, and the collection of data using the electronic tools. The electronic tools were prepared in Microsoft Excel and contain several components, depending on the specifics of the data that they capture, report, and visualize. The tools include reports and dashboards that are generated automatically for any set reporting period, based on the data entered in the registry. The findings of the pilot test indicate that the alternative childcare indicators and related electronic tools have the potential to increase the efficiency of the data collection and reporting processes, and to support evidence-based decision making. The pilot test revealed that the electronic tools are user-friendly and can be easily adapted to the needs of the TSAS. The data collected using the electronic tools showed that the indicators are useful for monitoring and evaluating the alternative childcare system, and for identifying areas for improvement. The conclusions of the pilot test are that the alternative childcare indicators and related electronic tools are a valuable tool for increasing the efficiency of the data collection and reporting processes, and for supporting evidence-based decision making. The pilot test also highlighted the need for further development and refinement of the electronic tools, as well as the need for ongoing training and support for the TSAS and other stakeholders. The recommendations of the pilot test are that the MOHLSP and the TSAS should continue to develop and refine the electronic tools, and that ongoing training and support should be provided to the TSAS and other stakeholders. The pilot test also recommends that the MOHLSP and the TSAS should use the alternative childcare indicators and related electronic tools to inform decision making, and that the indicators should be scaled up at the national level.