Her work involves designing, implementing, evaluating, and scaling up interventions to prevent violence against children and to promote young children’s development at home and at school in low- and middle-income countries.
She is currently working with UNICEF Jamaica, the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), Jamaica, and the Irie Toolbox team to scale up the Irie Homes Toolbox across Jamaica, by integrating it into the ECC’s routine parenting services at the national level.
The Irie Homes Toolbox was developed by Helen and her PhD student (now postdoc) – Dr. Taja Francis, in Jamaica. Last week, seven Community Relations Officers, five training officers and the Community Relations Manager from the Early Childhood Commission were trained in the programme. Training was delivered by three members of the Irie Toolbox team: Dr Taja Francis, Mrs Marsha Bowers and Helen.
Helen said, “The Irie Homes Toolbox is an evidence-based parenting programme that supports parents to provide a nurturing, stimulating, safe and secure home environment for their young children. We are delighted to continue our close collaboration with the Early Childhood Commission and UNICEF, Jamaica so that together we can extend the reach of the programme to benefit more and more families over time.”
