Addressing policy implementation shortcomings through co-production : critical analysis of the Jakarta Child Card for improving early childhood development

Abstract

As part of an Early Childhood Development (ECD) strategy, the Jakarta Provincial Government introduced the Jakarta Child Card (Kartu Anak Jakarta—KAJ) to address low ECD participation and high malnutrition rates among children under five in low-income households. Using a qualitative case study and the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework, this paper analyses the effectiveness and sustainability of the KAJ program. It finds that increased participation and reduced malnutrition occurred where local communities, professionals, and especially mothers collaborated. Notwithstanding ongoing challenges relating to quality, the need for strategies of improvement, including the advancement of data infrastructure and the integration of big data, it is clear that increased community and paternal engagement a.k.a. co-production and parent education on ECD are crucial.