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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Maltreatment history, trauma symptoms and research reactivity among adolescents in child protection services

Randall Waechter, Dilesha Kumanayaka, Colleen Angus-Yamada, Christine Wekerle, Savanah Smith and The MAP Research Team - , 11 Mar 2019

This open access study compared self-reported impact of research participation against maltreatment history and current post-traumatic stress symptomatology among a randomly selected group of adolescents (< 18 years old) in the child protection service (CPS) system.

Solution-focused brief therapy to improve child well-being and family functioning outcomes with substance using parents in the child welfare system

Johnny S. Kim, Becci A. Akin, Jody Brook - Developmental Child Welfare, 05 Mar 2019

This study examined the effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) on child well-being and family functioning outcomes for child welfare involved parents.

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Intensive oversight of youth residential treatment: Staff perspectives on the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs

Yvonne Smith & Lex Colletta - Child Abuse & Neglect, 01 Mar 2019

This study investigates staff perspectives on a new form of intensive oversight developed in New York State to prevent maltreatment of youth in care facilities.

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Do adolescents in care systematically under-report their mental health difficulties in population studies? A narrative review

Michael Tarren-Sweeney - Developmental Child Welfare, 27 Feb 2019

The present article reports findings of a narrative review of self- and carer-report mental health data that addressed the research question: Do adolescents who reside in statutory out-of-home care (OOHC) systematically underreport their mental health difficulties in population studies?

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The key therapeutic factors needed to deliver behavioural change interventions to decrease risky substance use (drug and alcohol) for looked after children and care leavers: a qualitative exploration with young people, carers and front line workers

Hayley Alderson, Rebecca Brown, Alex Copello, Eileen Kaner, Gillian Tober, Raghu Lingam and Ruth McGovern - BMC Medical Research Methodology, 21 Feb 2019

This paper reports on the initial formative phase of a pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial; SOLID (Supporting Looked After Children and Care Leavers In Decreasing Drugs, and Alcohol) that aimed to adapt two evidence-based psychosocial interventions, Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Social Behaviour and Network Therapy, which will aim to reduce substance misuse by looked after children.

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To Navigate the Normative and the Not-Normative Family Therapists Negotiating Their Professional Identities with Parents Whose Children are Placed in Public Care

Ellen Syrstad & Ottar Ness - Contemporary Family Therapy, 19 Feb 2019

This article examines the professional identities of family therapists employed by Family Counselling Services (FCS) in Norway and their experiences providing therapeutic services to parents whose children are placed in public care.

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Attachment as a Tool in the Treatment of Children Within Foster Care

Julie Gardenhire, Cydney Schleiden, Cameron C. Brown - Contemporary Family Therapy, 16 Feb 2019

This article has a twofold purpose. First, through synthesizing existing literature this article offers context and education about adverse experiences and concerns of children in foster care. Second, through an attachment lens clinical suggestions and interventions are discussed to assist MFTs in improving many of the emotional, mental, and physical health concerns found in this population.

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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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