Calling All Parents: Leveraging Behavioral Insights to Boost Early Childhood Outcomes in the Developing World

Abstract

Early childhood in developing countries faces a greater prevalence of risk factors and limited resources, underscoring the need for effective, scalable support models. We develop and experimentally evaluate a multi-component approach to enhance family environments over the phone. The program combines scalable outreach methods including calls by a teleoperator, messages, a chatbot, and an AI-based feedback tool. Targeted at highly vulnerable families with children aged 0 to 3 in Uruguay, the intervention promotes positive parenting practices at home, fosters language development, and provides personalized assistance to help families access government benefits. The intervention was implemented with 1,360 families eligible for support from the government agency Uruguay Crece Contigo over an eight-month period. We find that the program increases weekly frequency of parental engagement in stimulating activities and reduces parental stress. Treated families gain enhanced access to social benefits, including cash transfers and employment support programs.