ICS onboards Kakamega County social development officers to strengthen child welfare

The International Child Support (ICS) has onboarded Social Development Officers from the County Government of Kakamega in a move aimed at strengthening child welfare, promoting positive parenting and enhancing family support systems across the county.

The onboarding exercise brought together officers from the Department of Social Services and other key stakeholders as part of efforts to scale up gender-transformative parenting interventions at the community level.

The programme seeks to equip frontline officers with the knowledge and practical skills required to support families in adopting positive parenting practices, including non-violent discipline, shared caregiving responsibilities, improved communication between parents and children, and inclusive household decision-making.

Officials say the initiative is designed to improve child well-being while strengthening child protection systems through enhanced referral pathways, early identification of vulnerable children and improved coordination between communities, schools and social welfare services.

The programme also seeks to address social and cultural norms that contribute to gender inequality and violence within households. Through a gender-transformative approach, it promotes positive masculinity, encourages greater involvement of men in caregiving and advocates for equitable participation of both women and men in household responsibilities.

Speaking during the onboarding session, ICS Programmes Coordinator Josephine Odhiambo said building the capacity of Social Development Officers was crucial in ensuring effective delivery of parenting education and child protection interventions at the grassroots level.

She noted that sustainable change requires continuous community engagement, mentorship of caregivers and the integration of parenting programmes within existing county service delivery structures.

The County Executive Committee Member for Social Services, Youth, Sports, Gender, Culture and Library Services, Jackline Masicha, welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed the county government's commitment to strengthening integrated family support systems.

She said the programme aligns with the county's broader development agenda of improving child protection systems, reducing vulnerability among children and promoting social inclusion through evidence-based interventions.

Ms Masicha further noted that strengthening parenting programmes is an important strategy in addressing social challenges affecting families, including teenage pregnancies, school dropout rates, domestic conflicts and intergenerational poverty.

She called for enhanced collaboration between government departments, development partners and community leaders to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of the programme.

The partnership between ICS and the County Government of Kakamega is expected to strengthen institutional capacity at the grassroots level, expand the reach of parenting support services and reinforce integrated child protection systems across communities.

As implementation continues, the officers will undergo structured training, field mentorship and practical community engagements aimed at embedding gender-transformative parenting approaches within routine service delivery.

Also present during the engagement were Chief Officer for Social Services Christine Kimungui, Chief Officer for Youth, Sports and Library Services Lawrence Mukoyani, ICS representative Chris Masoud and other county officers.