Peer-reviewed article

Costs and Budget Impact of Scaling-Up Parenting for Lifelong Health for Young Children Program in Thailand.

Hsu Myat Mon, Wilaiwan Pongpaew, Nopphol Witvorapong, Amalee McCoy, Piya Hanvoravongchai · 1 Jan 2026

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Violence against children poses short- and long-term risks to health, society and economy. The Parenting for Lifelong Health for Young Children (PLH-YC) programme has been shown to be effective in reducing child maltreatment for 2- to 9-year-old children in Thailand. We assessed the costs and budget requirements across multiple scenarios for scaling up the PLH-YC programme in Thailand. METHODS: Five scaling-up scenarios at varying levels were identified through a consultative workshop and semistructured interviews, with implementation planned via existing infrastructures. A bottom-up costing approach was employed to estimate the cost and budget impact using data collected through document review, website search and interviews. Costing was performed using the provider's and societal perspectives. RESULTS: The cost per caregiver based on the societal perspective ranged from 262 to 300 USD (1 USD = 35.36 THB in 2024). From the provider's perspective, the cost per caregiver trained was estimated at 82-195 USD. Assuming nationwide programme implementation, the estimated total budget impact for 1 year ranged from 50 to 76 million USD. CONCLUSIONS: Scaling-up PLH-YC incurs different unit costs per caregiver depending on the levels of programme delivery. However, budget requirements for all scenarios can be prohibitively high. To increase financial feasibility, programme modifications while maintaining quality, such as fewer parenting sessions or hybrid implementation, should be explored. Strong political commitment and financial support by key stakeholders are necessary for programme adoption and scaling up.