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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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).

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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Emotional and Behavioral Problems and Psychosocial Skills in Adolescents in Residential Care

Joana Campos, Maria Barbosa-Ducharne, Pedro Dias, Sónia Rodrigues, Ana Catarina Martins, Mariana Leal - Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 03 Jan 2019

This study compared adolescents in residential care (RC) in Portugal, with a Portuguese community sample on the incidence of mental health problems and psychosocial skills, explored gender differences and the relationships between mental health problems and psychosocial competencies.

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Self-control and subjective-wellbeing of adolescents in residential care: The moderator role of experienced happiness and daily-life activities with caregivers

Harry Orúzar, Rafael Miranda, Xavier Oriol, Carme Montserrat - Children and Youth Services Review, 02 Jan 2019

The main objective of this study is to explore, from a bottom-up perspective, the moderating effect of an experienced happiness indicator (OHS) and the daily-life activities shared between caregivers and adolescents in the residential care system in Peru.

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Meta‐analysis of the mental health status of left‐behind children in China

Wei Wu, Guangbo Qu, Lingling Wang, Xue Tang, Ye‐Huan Sun - Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 02 Jan 2019

The aims of this study were to systematically evaluate and comparatively analyse the mental health status of left‐behind children (LBC) in China and to provide a scientific basis for mental intervention and healthy education for LBC.

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Responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences: An evidence review of interventions to prevent and address adversity across the life course

Lisa C.G. Di Lemma, Alisha R. Davies, Kat Ford, Karen Hughes, Lucia Homolova, Benjamin Gray, and Gillian Richardson - Public Health Wales and Bangor University, 2019

To support innovation in addressing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the authors have undertaken a review of evidence on common approaches to prevent ACEs and/or mitigate their negative impacts in Wales.

Lessons learnt from the child protection component of the Global Fund’s Young Women and Girls Programme in ten districts in South Africa

Röhrs S, Delany A & Mathews S - Children's Institute University of Cape Town, 2019

This briefing paper reports on the lessons learnt from a process evaluation of the child protection component of the Global Fund’s Young Women and Girls (YWG) programme, a multi-pronged HIV prevention programme targeting young women and girls implemented in 10 districts in South Africa.

Detection of Psychological Stresses for Orphans Who Live in Orphanages

Journal of Basra researches for Human Sciences, Basrah University, 2019

The current study aims to reveal the psychological stresses faced by orphaned children in orphanages.

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Measures that are Appropriate for Refugee Children and Families

The National Child Traumatic Network (NCTN), 2019

The National Child Traumatic Network (NCTN) has published a list of measures that front line professionals can use to assess the exposure to trauma among migrant and refugee families and children.