Overview
This workbook can help program planners and practitioners plan, design, implement, monitor, and evaluate programs to improve complementary feeding. Users will build a foundation for their program by prioritizing behaviors that will have the biggest impact on nutrition outcomes. They will start with six globally recognized behaviors for both healthy children and children experiencing or recovering from illness that have been shown to reduce malnutrition, especially stunting and wasting, in young children. Download the full Enabling Better Complementary Feeding: Guidance and Workbook or explore and download the individual modules in the full workbook below.
- Feed with age-appropriate frequency, amount, and consistency
- Feed children 6-23 months old a variety of age-appropriate, safe, diverse nutrient-rich foods
- Prepare food and feed children hygienically
- Feed responsively
- Ensure children continue to breastfeed and eat when ill
- Give recuperative feeding for 2 weeks after illness
List of Modules
In Module 1: Prioritize Complementary Feeding Behaviors of the Enabling Better Complementary Feeding: Guidance and Workbook, identify the small number of specific complementary feeding behaviors that are most likely to help programs effectively reach their goals. The story of two practitioners who follow the process starts in this module and continues throughout the workbook.
Related tool:
Prioritizing Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Behaviors
In Module 2: Plan and Conduct Formative Research of the Enabling Better Complementary Feeding: Guidance and Workbook, learn about the behaviors prioritized from module 1 using existing literature; determine whether research is needed to fill any gaps in understanding what would limit or accelerate the uptake of the behaviors; and plan this research, if needed.
Related tools:
Factors That Influence Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Behaviors
Using Research to Design an SBC Strategy
In Module 3: Design an SBC Strategy to Improve Complementary Feeding of the Enabling Better Complementary Feeding: Guidance and Workbook, design an SBC strategy that improves young children’s nutrient intake. Analyze research and translate the key insights into a critical pathway for change that will include actions in multiple sectors.
Related tool:
Using Research to Design an SBC Strategy for Multi-Sectoral Nutrition
In Module 4: Prepare the Implementation and Monitory, Evaluation, and Learning Plans of the Enabling Better Complementary Feeding: Guidance and Workbook, prepare an implementation plan following the project theory of change or results framework to put the SBC strategy into action. Develop a monitoring, evaluation, and learning plan to track and measure the success of implementation and allow for adaptations as needed.
Related tools:
Defining SBC Competencies for Multi-Sectoral Nutrition
Monitoring SBC for Multi-Sectoral Nutrition
In Module 5: Implement, Monitor, and Adapt Activities to Improve Complementary Feeding of the Enabling Better Complementary Feeding: Guidance and Workbook, carry out and manage high-quality activities based on the SBC strategy to improve complementary feeding. Monitor and adapt using your MEL plan.
Related tools:
Do’s & Don’ts: Getting it Right for Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Programming
Frontline Workers Competency Tool
Monitoring SBC for Multi-Sectoral Nutrition
In Module 6: Evaluate Activities to Improve Complementary Feeding of the Enabling Better Complementary Feeding: Guidance and Workbook, manage an evaluation that demonstrates the progress made toward improving complementary feeding, based on the strategies, activities, and the MEL plan you developed.
Related tool:
Defining SBC Competencies for Multi-Sectoral Nutrition
Additional Resources
- UNICEF Programming Guidance: Improving Young Children’s Diets During the Complementary Feeding Period
- The Basics: Planning Formative Research for Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices by the Infant and Young Child Nutrition Project
- Think | BIG Behavior Profiles by The Manoff Group
- Program Guidance on Engaging Family Members by USAID Advancing Nutrition
- Indicators for assessing infant and young child feeding practices: definitions and measurement methods by WHO/UNICEF