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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Gender Dysphoria in looked-after and adopted young people in a gender identity development service

Tom Matthews, Victoria Holt, Senem Sahin, Amelia Taylor, David Griksaitis - Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 11 Aug 2018

This research investigated the prevalence of looked-after and adopted young people within a case file review of 185 young people referred to a UK gender identity development service over a 2-year period (1 April 2009 to 1 April 2011).

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Mental health and psychosocial problems among Chinese left-behind children: A cross-sectional comparative study

Tang Wanjie, Wang Gang, Hu Tao, Dai Qian, Xu Jiajun, YanYanchun, Xu Jiuping - Journal of Affective Disorders, 09 Aug 2018

This study compared the prevalence of mental health and psychosocial problems between left-behind children (LBC) and controls in Sichuan province, China.

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Smart Practices for Protecting Unaccompanied and Separated Children from SGBV Through Access to Health and PSS in Last Mile Locations: Honduras

Evelyn Vallejo Salcedo - International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies, 01 Aug 2018

The objective of the mission was to gather data on Honduras as a case study to support the IFRC global study on smart practices for protecting unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) from sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) through health and psychosocial services in last mile locations.

Looked After Children & Young People Care Pathway (Healthy Young Minds Tameside & Glossop): August 2018

Dr Nicola Ellis, 01 Aug 2018

This paper reviews the Healthy Young Minds (HYMs) program for looked after children in Tameside & Glossop, UK.

The impact of school support on depression among adolescent orphans: a cluster‐randomized trial in Kenya

Eric P. Green, Hyunsan Cho, John Gallis, Eve S. Puffer - The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 28 Jul 2018

The objective of this study was to determine if a school support intervention for adolescent orphans in Kenya had effects on mental health, a secondary outcome.

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CARE: The development of an intervention for kinship carers with teenage children

Jane EK Hartley, John McAteer, Larry Doi and Ruth Jepson - Qualitative Social Work, 13 Jul 2018

The study addresses the needs of Scottish kinship carers of teenage children who have been identified as being in need of extra support.

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Tools for Transformation: Building a Compassionate Child Welfare System - Recommendations from Foster Care Alumni

Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), 01 Jul 2018

CCAI’s Foster Youth Internship Program® is a highly esteemed congressional internship for young adults who spent their formative years in the U.S. foster care system. In this annual policy report, the interns focus on subjects they are personally passionate about due to their experiences and understanding after living in foster care and make personal recommendations for improving the U.S. foster care system.

Dangerous Times for Looked-After Children: Austerity Cuts Risking the Lives of the Most Vulnerable

Stephanie Hunter - Austerity Policies, 13 Jun 2018

This chapter will critically examine the difficulties faced by young people who are looked after by local authorities in accessing mental health services and argue, based on findings of recent Serious Case Reviews that there has never been a more dangerous time to be a looked-after child.

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Measuring Symptoms of Psychopathology in Zambian Orphans and Vulnerable Children: Scale Validation and Psychometric Evaluation

Sarah McIvor Murray, Paul Bolton, Jeremy C. Kane, Daniel P. Lakin, Stephanie Skavenski Van Wyk, Ravi Paul, Laura K. Murray - Assessment, 06 Jun 2018

The authors of this paper sought to explore the psychometric properties and validity of the Achenbach Youth Self-Report and Child Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) living in Lusaka, Zambia.

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Association of sleep with emotional and behavioral problems among abused children and adolescents admitted to residential care facilities in Japan

Masakazu Okada, Masaaki Otaga, Takako Tsutsui, Hisateru Tachimori, Shingo Kitamura, Shigekazu Higuchi, Kazuo Mishima - Plos One, 01 Jun 2018

In this study, the authors sought to identify sleep habits and suspected sleep disorders among abused children and adolescents admitted to residential care facilities in Japan and to investigate their association with emotional and behavioral problems.

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