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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Tracing the pathway from mental health screening to services for children and youth in foster care

Michael D. Pullmann, et al - Children and Youth Services Review, 27 Apr 2018

This study presents longitudinal analyses of the case flow of youth aged 3–17 in Washington State's foster care system, tracking rates of screening, scoring above or below clinical criteria cutoff scores, and service receipt.

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Psychosocial factors and behavioral health outcomes among children in Foster and Kinship care: A systematic review

Tyreasa Washington, et al - Children and Youth Services Review, 23 Apr 2018

The authors of this paper conducted a systematic review with the aim of developing a better understanding of the psychosocial factors associated with the behavioral health of children in foster and kinship care.

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Caregiver–Adolescent Disagreement on the Mental Health of Youth in Foster Care: The Moderating Role of the Caregiver Relationship

Lenore M. McWey, Ming Cui, Ashley N. Cooper, Thomas Ledermann - Child Maltreatment, 17 Apr 2018

The goal of this study was to investigate the levels of disagreement on adolescent mental health symptoms among caregivers and adolescents in foster care, to examine factors associated with caregiver–adolescent discrepancies, and the potential moderating role of caregiver–child closeness on the link between the length of time the youth lived with caregivers and discrepancies regarding adolescent mental health symptoms.

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Addressing the health and mental health needs of unaccompanied immigrant youth through an innovative school-based health center model: Successes and challenges

Naomi A. Schapiro, J. Raul Gutierrez, Amy Blackshaw, Jyu-Lin Chen - Children and Youth Services Review, 17 Apr 2018

With the support community and academic partners, a school-based health center administered by a Federally Qualified Health Center developed a plan for outreach, systematic screening and referral to services for newcomer youth.

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Discriminating baseline indicators for (un)favorable psychosocial development in different 24-h settings

Harmke Leloux-Opmeer, Chris H. Z. Kuiper, Hanna T. Swaab, Evert M. Scholte - Children and Youth Services Review, 14 Apr 2018

The study consisted of a comparative follow-up study with a pretest-posttest design which explored the association between baseline child, family, and care characteristics and the psychosocial development of 121 schoolaged Dutch children during their first year of placement in foster care (FC), family-style group care (FGC), and residential care (RC).

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Running to stand still: Trauma symptoms, coping strategies, and substance use behaviors in unaccompanied migrant youth

Jodi Berger Cardoso - Children and Youth Services Review, 12 Apr 2018

The current study implemented a concurrent, parallel mixed methods research design, whereby quantitative (survey) and qualitative (focus groups) data were collected simultaneously to explore: (a) the frequency of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, suicidal ideation, and substance use, (b) trauma exposure at pre-migration, migration, and post-migration, and (c) how youth may cope with these adversities.

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Psychological Well-Being, Risk, and Resilience of Youth in Out-Of-Home Care and Former Foster Youth

Elizabeth J. Greeno, Lisa Fedina, Bethany R. Lee, Jill Farrell, Deborah Harburger - Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 17 Mar 2018

This study assesses psychological well-being, risk, and resilience of youth currently in-care and former foster youth and how preparation for independent living affects these factors.

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Children’s perspectives of their psychosocial wellbeing in Tanzanian orphanages

Agnes Cyril Msoka and Eleanor Holroyd - International Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 15 Mar 2018

The aim of this study was to explore factors affecting the wellbeing of institutionalized orphaned children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The effect of structured education on self-esteem and the suicide probability of male adolescents living in orphanages

Şenay Öztürk, Mine Ekinci - Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 13 Mar 2018

This study aims to observe the effect of structured education provided to improve self-esteem and hope on the self-esteem and the suicide probability of male adolescents living in orphanages.

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Developing a tailored substance use intervention for youth exiting foster care

Jordan M. Braciszewski, Golfo K. Tzilos Wernette, Roland S. Moore, Tanya B. Tran, Beth C. Bock, Robert L. Stout, Patricia Chamberlain, Adam Vose-O’Neal - Child Abuse & Neglect, 13 Mar 2018

This study examines a program (iHeLP) for substance use reduction in foster youth aging out of care.

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