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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Grandparenting and the Golden Years: Understanding the Factors and Mental Health Outcomes of Grandparent Caregivers in Older Adults

Badr Ratnakaran MBBS, Antoinette Valenti Shappell FAPA, Kiran Khalid MBBS, 19 Feb 2024

This report outlines the various trends and reasons for the rise of grandparents involved in caring for grandchildren in the U.S. It also describes the different types of households involving grandparents and grandchildren, including grandfamilies, skipped-generation, and three-generation families, and summarize various theories of grandparent stress including role strain theory and social exchange theory.

Grandparenting and the Golden Years: Understanding the Factors and Mental Health Outcomes of Grandparent Caregivers in Older Adults

Trajectories of Care Leavers According to Indicators of Psychosocial Adjustment: A cohort analysis

Carme Montserrat, Joan Llosada-Gistau, 18 Feb 2024

The present study conducted in Spain analyzed the relationship of care leavers once they become adults with the child protection system as parents, the penitentiary system, and residential resources for people with disabilities, analysing the results according to gender, country of origin, type of foster care when they were minors, type of support received as young care leavers and years in care.

Comparison of the Mental Health Status of Left-Behind Children Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Yunzhu Wu, 20 Dec 2023

To investigate and discuss the mental health status of left-behind children in Anhui Province before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and analyze its influencing factors.

The Psychological Wellbeing Among the Adults Raised in Children’s Homes in Kenya

Hamida Ahmed, Charity Waithima, Michelle Karume, 26 Nov 2023

This study purposed to assess the psychological wellbeing of adults who were raised in children’s homes and other institutional care in Kenya and had since transitioned out. T

Improving the Mental Health of Care-Experienced Children & Young People

CASCADE Cardiff, 24 Nov 2023

Dr Rhiannon Evans, Reader in DECIPHer, discusses a systematic review taken of international evidence to understand what programmes work for improving the mental health of care-experienced children & young people, how they work, and what m

The Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders Amongst Care-Experienced Young People in the UK: A Systematic Review

Aimee Cummings, Katherine Shelton, 23 Nov 2023

This study reviewed the prevalence of mental health disorders among Looked After Children in the UK.

Strategies for Strengthening Mental Health Education for Left Behind Children in Rural Areas

Yang Boran, 23 Nov 2023

This article explores the importance of strengthening mental health education for left behind children in rural areas and proposes various strategies to meet their mental health needs. The study emphasizes the importance of parental participation, school counseling mechanisms, diverse educational activities, and social support.

Mental Health and Transitions for Care-Experienced Young People

Adoption UK, Coram Voice , 13 Nov 2023

Bethan Carter, a research associate at Cardiff University, discusses the ReThink Project; a project run in collaboration with Adoption UK and Coram Voice to investigate what processes are linked to mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced young people and how they manage at two key transitions in life.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Interventions for Care-Experienced Children and Young People: Systematic Review and Synthesis of Process Evaluations

Sarah MacDonald, Rob Trubey, Jane Noyes, Soo Vinnicombe, Helen E. Morgan, Simone Willis, Maria Boffey, G.J. Melendez-Torres, Michael Robling, Charlotte Wooder, Rhiannon Evans, 08 Nov 2023

This global systematic review incorporated a comprehensive search of available literature from 1990 and captures the extant literature relating to process evaluations for interventions which address care-experienced children and young people’s mental health and well-being, and is one of the first syntheses of process evaluations in social care.

Webinar #15: Breaking the Cycle - Mental Health and Well-being for Care Experienced Children, Young People and Adults

Transforming Children's Care Collaborative, Child's i Foundation, 27 Sep 2023

The objective of this webinar was to present the best practices learnt in the implementation of the youth wellbeing project which focused on integrated mental health and wellbeing support for youth and particularly young people with lived experience of care.