Psychosocial Support

The best form of psychosocial support is a healthy family and supportive environment, preferably in the child's community of origin, or one that is culturally similar. Psychosocial well-being is a product of multiple support, which is rooted in the ability to form healthy relationships and participate in community networks.

However, certain considerations may be required in order to help children and caretakers come to terms with life-changing events, such as the loss of a parent. Separation can be highly stressful for children, particularly if it is unexpected, or repeated. Some children may experience anxiety, attachment problems, sleep disturbances, dependency issues, regression, and a range of other behavioural issues which threaten their mental health and development.

Specific types of support may be required for children suffering from loss, severe or chronic ill health, abuse or exploitation. The child’s experience, age, resilience, and the level of support received from the family and community will determine if a child needs external services. A child is far less likely to experience psychosocial stress if they have good natural support mechanisms and therefore protection efforts should focus on supporting families and communities to help each other.

When psychosocial support is needed, an assessment is important in determining the scope and type of issues, the existing family and community resources, and analysis of how these can be strengthened. Clinical mental health interventions such as therapy, psychiatry or psychological counseling, should only be provided by trained professionals after a clinical assessment and, in all cases, should be culturally relevant.

Psychosocial activities must promote the children’s development and their relationships with others, re-establish routines, increase self confidence and sense of control over their lives. Children’s activities, such as the provision of safe places, group work or referrals to specialists, should be designed around the child’s individual needs, age, gender, and cultural identity. Interventions should be empowering, inclusive, and fully integrated with wider community efforts. Children’s participation is essential in psychosocial work; children should be encouraged to express their opinions, and to have these taken into account.

The literature found here describes the psychosocial effects of separation, and other threats to children such as HIV/AIDS, conflict, abuse and exploitation, and provides guidance and examples of psychosocial interventions.

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Qualitative exploration of HIV-related stigma and the psychosocial well-being of children orphaned by AIDS

Zeenat Yassin, Charlene Jennifer Erasmus, Josè Frantz - Global Social Welfare, 14 Feb 2019

This study explored children orphaned by AIDS perceptions and experiences of HIV-related stigma and how it has affected their psychosocial well-being.

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Factors Influencing the Subjective Well-Being of Adolescents in out-of-Home Care. A Mixed Method Study

Joan Llosada-Gistau, Ferran Casas, Carme Montserrat - Applied Research in Quality of Life, 09 Feb 2019

The aim of this study was to analyse subjectisuppleve well-being (SWB) among adolescents in care, considering the type of placement in greater depth and how it correlated with several explanatory variables.

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Determinants and outcomes of social climate in therapeutic residential youth care: A systematic review

Jonathan D. Leipoldt, Annemiek T. Harder, Nanna S. Kayed, Hans Grietens, Tormod Rimehaug - Children and Youth Services Review, 08 Feb 2019

The purpose of the study presented in this open access article was to provide an overview of the literature on associations between determinants and social climate and between social climate and outcomes in therapeutic residential youth care (TRC).

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Enhancing the Lives of Children in Out-Of-Home Care: An Exploration of Mind-Body Interventions as a Method of Trauma Recovery

Sarah S. Mayer - Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 07 Feb 2019

Despite limited research on the effectiveness of mind-body interventions with children and adolescents in out-of-home care in Canada, a review of available literature on mindfulness, arts-based methods, and yoga suggests these therapeutic interventions promote resilience and positive development.

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Mental health and associated stress factors in accompanied and unaccompanied refugee minors resettled in Germany: a cross-sectional study

Lauritz Rudolf Floribert Müller, Karl Phillipp Büter, Rita Rosner, Johanna Unterhitzenberger - Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 30 Jan 2019

This article presents a cross-sectional survey in 19 facilities for minor refugees in Bavaria, Germany, screening for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression, anxiety, externalizing behaviour, and post-migration factors.

Associations between early life parent-child separation and shortened telomere length and psychopathological outcomes during adolescence

Xingxing Chen, Chenchen Zeng, Chun Gong, Lei Zhang, Yuhui Wan, Fangbiao Tao, Ying Sun - Psychoneuroendocrinology, 21 Jan 2019

The objective of this study was to test the associations between parent-child separation with telomere length (TL) and psychopathology during adolescence.

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Mental health screening for children in care using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Brief Assessment Checklists: Guidance from three national studies

Michael Tarren-Sweeney, Anouk Goemans, Anna Sophie Hahne, and Matthew Gieve - Developmental Child Welfare, 12 Jan 2019

The present article proposes a first-stage mental health screening procedure (calibrated for high sensitivity) for children and adolescents (ages 4–17) in alternative care, which children’s agencies can implement without clinical oversight using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Brief Assessment Checklists (BAC).

Mental health screening for children in care using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Brief Assessment Checklists: Guidance from three national studies

Michael Tarren-Sweeney, Anouk Goemans, Anna Sophie Hahne, and Matthew Gieve - Developmental Child Welfare, 12 Jan 2019

The neglect–enrichment continuum: Characterizing variation in early caregiving environments

Lucy S. King, Kathryn L. Humphreys, Ian H. Gotlib - Developmental Review, 09 Jan 2019

In this paper, the authors advance a framework for examining the nature and consequences of neglect, which they posit can be represented as variations along a continuum from severe psychosocial neglect to environmental enrichment.

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Working with unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people: cultural considerations and acceptability of a cognitive behavioural group approach

Dorothy King and Glorianne Said - Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 09 Jan 2019

This paper outlines a psychological skills group for unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people with a focus on cultural adaptations in the context of a UK mental health service.

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