Factors influencing the performance of child based development programs: a case of charitable children institutions in Limuru constituency, Kiambu county, Kenya

Abstract

Child based development programs aim to provide basic needs to the most vulnerable children in society, they offer either residential or outreach care to the children who may be orphaned, abused or neglected. These programs are aimed to ensure that children do not fall into self care on the streets. The performance of these programs is of paramount importance as it directly impacts the society today and also future generations. There have been several programs especially in form of charitable children institutions in our country, however there is still presence of children falling into self care in the streets, studies have shown that vulnerable children enrolled in the child based development programs have a high chance of having their basic needs met however, the factors affecting the performance of these child based development programs has not been examined hence, the problem that this study seeks to address is the factors influencing the performance of the child based development programs in CCIs in Kenya. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing the performance of child based development programs in the charitable children’s institutions in Limuru constituency, Kiambu County, Kenya. The study aimed to achieve the following objectives: to establish how the implementing team influences the performance of child based development programs, to assess how community participation influences the performance of child based development programs, to establish how program funding influences the performance of child based development programs and to determine how program infrastructure influences the performance of child based development programs. The study is grounded in the structural contingency theory of performance and the SARFIT theory. The study used the descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study was 29 program directors and 118 program workers in the social department of the 16 child based development programs in Limuru constituency with the total target population being 147 persons. Purposive sampling and proportionate sampling was utilized for the program directors and the program workers respectively and a sample size of 108 respondents was selected. Primary data was collected by use of a closed questionnaire and the questionnaire return rate was 80%. Data was analyzed descriptively by use of arithmetic mean and standard deviation. SPSS was the software that aided data analysis. The influence of the implementing team on the performance of child based development programs was found to be 3.91, hence it was concluded that the implementing team influences the performance of child based development programs. Further, the influence of community participation was found to be 3.70, hence it was concluded that community participation influences the performance of child based development programs. In addition, the Influence of program funding was found to be 3.99, hence it was concluded that program funding influences the performance of child based development programs. Lastly, the influence of program infrastructure was found to be 3.57, hence it was concluded that program infrastructure influences the performance of child based development programs. This study recommends that the implementing team be empowered with project management skills, and also, for the child based development programs to have more collaboration with the communities where they are located to enhance the performance of the child based development programs as they meet their objectives. Another recommendation is for training in program funding and finance to be given to the employees of child based development programs by government of Kenya.