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Multi-Component Approaches (MCAs) in
Education, Health, Safety, Security, Social & Sustainable Development

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A Multi-component Approach (MCA) is a defined, coordinated set of core components, pillars or Infrastructure that includes a macro-policy, mandatory education promoting health, safety, security, personal and social development and sustainable human relationships with the environment, a minimum set of health, social and other services, minimum physical conditions and safety/sanitary standards and minimum standards for the psycho-social environment. These multiple, coordinated components are maintained in and with schools through education systems with the tangible support (funding, staffing, policy) of other sectors/ministries and their respective local agencies/ authorities. To be considered a “multi-component approach”, the MCA needs to address a broad area of human development and have at least one sector (ministry, agencies professionals) as primary or equal partner with the education sector.
Multiple levels within the education and other sectors need to be involved the MCA, including ministries, local agencies or authorities, schools, local clinics and professionals from the public and the voluntary sector. Schools are often mistakenly used as the unit of analysis and action in some descriptions of MCAs. A multi-component approach is different than a “whole school approach” which is defined more accurately as operating only at the school level instead of at all levels across several systems.  
The core components of an MCA are used to deliver multiple interventions and should, therefore, be considered as essential infrastructure supporting “multi-intervention programs” on specific issues as well as individual interventions. Another source of confusion stems from the use of the terms such as policy or education as an area or domain of work rather than a defined infrastructure such as a core curriculum or defined set of services. When used in this way, MCAs are essentially acting as planning frameworks to guide the development of multi-intervention programs (MIPs) that include policy, educational, service and environmental interventions. This use sometimes obscures the need for establishing and maintain a core set of components or infrastructure. The FRESH Framework describes a list of four components common to all MCAs. Other frameworks have listed three, five and even 12 components. 
There are several published MCAs, including Health Promoting Schools (with the health sector), Child Friendly Schools (with child protection & human rights), School Health & Nutrition/Feeding (Development & Agriculture sectors), the Essential Package of Interventions (Development & Agriculture sectors), Safe Schools (Law Enforcement) , Inclusive Schools(Learning disabilities) , Community Schools (Social Protection), WASH (Sanitation), Disaster Risk Reduction(Civil Protection) , Education in Emergencies (Relief Aid), Education for Sustainable Development (Environment)  and others. The education sector works with several sectors, so they often use several MCA’s simultaneously, with different parts of the education system using different MCA’s in their interactions with different sectors.
A systems approach should be used to build and maintain MCAs at multiple levels across multiple sectors. Other criteria beyond the delivery of interventions should be used to evaluate MCAs. These include their contextual fit, implementation quality, system & organizational capacity, sustainability as an approach, integration within the core concerns of education systems and the effective use of systems science and organizational development strategies.

This summary was first posted in June 2019. It was revised and is now published as a "first edition". However, we encourage readers to submit comments or suggested edits by posting a comment on the Mini-blog & Discussion Page for this section.

A Multi-component Approach (MCA) is a defined, coordinated set of core components, pillars or Infrastructure that promote the health, safety, security, personal & social development and sustainable human relationships with the environment. The core components of an MCA include a macro-policy, classroom instruction & extended educational activities, a minimum set of health, social and other services, minimum physical conditions and safety/sanitary standards and minimum standards for the psycho-social environment. These multiple, coordinated components are maintained in and with schools through education systems with the tangible support (funding, staffing, policy) of other ministries and their local agencies. To be considered a “multicomponent approach”, the MCA needs to address a broad area of human development and have at least one sector (ministry, agencies professionals) as primary or equal partner with the education sector.
Multiple levels within the education and other sectors need to be involved in MCAs, including ministries, local agencies or authorities, schools, local clinics and professionals. A multi-component approach is different than a “whole school approach” which describes activities operating only at the school level, often  only done by educators. The core components of an MCA are used to deliver multiple interventions and should, therefore, be considered as essential infrastructure supporting “multi-intervention programs” as well as individual interventions. Another source of confusion about MCAs stems from the use of the same terms (policy, services or education etc.) as coordinated or separate parts of a planning framework. This sometimes obscures the need to maintain a core, coordinated set of components. The FRESH Framework describes a list of four components common to all MCAs. Other frameworks have listed three, five and even 12 components. 
There are several published MCAs derived from education working with other sectors. These  include Health Promoting Schools (with health sector), Child Friendly Schools (with child protection & human rights), School Health & Nutrition/Feeding (Development & Agriculture sectors), the Essential Package of Interventions (Development & Agriculture sectors), Safe Schools (Law Enforcement), Inclusive Schools (Learning disabilities), Community Schools (Social Protection), WASH (Sanitation, Municipalities), Disaster Risk Reduction(Civil Protection), Education in Emergencies (Relief Aid), Education for Sustainable Development (Environment) and others. The education sector works with several sectors, so they often use several MCAs simultaneously.
A systems approach should be used to build and maintain MCAs at multiple levels across multiple sectors. Other criteria beyond the delivery of interventions should be used to evaluate MCAs. These include their contextual fit, implementation quality, system & organizational capacity, sustainability as an approach, integration within the core concerns of education systems and the effective use of systems science and organizational development strategies.

This summary was first posted in June 2019. It was revised and is now published as a "first edition". The following individuaks and organizations have contributed to the development of this topic.

We encourage readers to submit comments or suggested edits by posting a comment below or on the Mini-blog & Discussion Page for this section. 

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This summary was first posted in June 2012. It was revised and is now published as a final version. However, we encourage readers to submit comments or suggested edits by posting a comment on the Mini-blog & Discussion Page for this section. 

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Key research, reports and resources on this topic are posted below.  Many of the topics in this web site also have extensive bibliographies/toolboxes (BTs) published as separate documents. These lists use our BT outlines that we have developed over several years of curating these materials.

Research	Reports, Resources
Understand the Problem/Strategies Programs & Approaches Implement, Adapt, Integrate, Sustain Systems Approach	Understand the Problem/Strategies Programs & Approaches Implement, Adapt, Integrate, Sustain Systems Approach

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Section: Common Topics/Terms

- Introduction & Overview
- Mini-Blog/Discussion Page

Multi-Component Approaches

- Multi-component Approaches (MCAs)
- List of UN Agency MCAs

Core Components

- Core Components to Deliver MCAs and MIPs
- Macro & Specific Policies
- Instruction & Extended Education Activities
- Health, Social & Other Services
- Psycho-Social Environment & Supports
- Physical Environment & Resources

Multi-Intervention Programs

- Multi-Intervention Programs (MIPs)
- How to Build a Multi-Intervention Program (MIP)

Single Interventions

- Single Interventions (Specific Policies/Programs)

Learning/Behaviour Models

- Learning/Behaviour Models (LBMs)
- Examples of Learning/Behaviour Models (LBMs)

National Action Plans

- National Action Plans
- Education Management Information Systems (EMIS)

Behaviour & Learning Theories

- Behaviour & Learning Theories
- Examples of Behaviour Theories
- Examples of Learning Theories

Systems Approaches

- Systems Approaches: Analysis & Actions
- Whole of Government Strategies
- Intersectoral Partnerships

Engaging & Empowering Youth

- Youth Engagement & Empowerment
- Engagement Approaches/Programs
- Empowerment Approaches & Programs

Parent Participation

- Overview of Parent Participation
- Informing Parents
- Involving Parents
- Education & Training Parents
- Empowering Parents
- Assisting-Supporting Parents

Teacher Education & Development

- Teacher Education & Development
- Workforce Development Planning

Preparing Other Professionals

- Professionals who Work In & With schools
    - School Nurses
    - School Social Workers
    - Emergency Relief Workers
    - Development Workers
    - School Resource (Police) Officers
    - School Security/Civil Protection Staff
    - School Psychologists
    - School Counsellors
    - Teaching/Learning Assistants
    - School Secretaries/Admin Assistants
- Inter-professional Education & Development