Registration
MALNUTRITION
Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR): ChiCTR1900022894.There is increasing evidence confirming that social-emotional skills serve as the critical foundation for the well-being and future success of children; however, disparities in social-emotional development in the early years can last a lifetime, particularly evident among children living in poverty [Group-based interventions have the advantages of modeling positive nurturing care behaviors and environments [An estimated 17 million children under the age of five in China were denied the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential due to various risk factors in 2017, such as child poverty, malnutrition, lack of psychosocial stimulation, and poor parenting environment [We aimed to examine the effectiveness of the Care Group intervention on social-emotional development of children under the age of three, evaluate its cost-effectiveness, and determine the feasibility of the delivery paths (eg, facilitator selection, training, supervision) and compliance to its implementation in poverty-stricken areas in China. The data presented is not only relevant for expanding ECD services for children aged 0-3 in poverty-stricken areas of China, but also valuable to other countries with similar social and economic situation.