WG/UNICEF Child Functioning Module (CFM)

About the CFM

It was recognized by the WG that the WG-SS does not apply to children under the age of 5, and they miss many children with developmental disabilities over the age of 5. For this reason, UNICEF and the WG developed the Child Functioning Module (CFM) which is designed to better identify all children with disability. The CFM has two versions: one for children age 2-4 years old and one for children age 5-17 years old. Both are designed for administration to mothers (or primary caregivers).

The CFM, finalized in 2016, assesses difficulties in the following functional domains: vision, hearing, mobility, communication/comprehension, behavior and learning (all ages); dexterity and playing (2-4 years); and self-care, remembering, focusing attention, coping with change, relationships and emotions (5-17 years). To better reflect the degree of functional difficulty, each area is assessed against a rating scale. The purpose is to identify the subpopulation of children who are at greater risk than other children of the same age of experiencing limited participation in an unaccommodating environment. The set of questions is intended for use in national household surveys.

The module has undergone extensive review by experts, and testing in several countries to determine the quality of questions being asked and ascertain cultural understanding by respondents.  It has been incorporated into the most recent round of UNICEF-sponsored Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS).

In March 2017, a joint statement issued by multiple UN agencies, member states, organizations of persons with disabilities, and other stakeholders recommended the CFM as the appropriate tool for SDG data disaggregation for children.

The module is has been translated into multiple languages and, in addition to English, is available in French, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese and Khmer.