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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HIV and Caregiver Common Mental Disorder: Synergistic Impacts on Child Development and Entry Points for Interventions

Mark Tomlinson and Xanthe Hunt - 4Children, Catholic Relief Services, 2018

In this paper, the authors review published literature on the mental health status of mothers living with HIV (MLH) and how this affects their children; outline the pathways between maternal HIV, maternal mental health problems, and negative child outcomes; and then describe a number of intervention entry points that they argue have the potential to enhance impact across PEPFAR platforms.

The prevalence of mental disorders among children and youth staying in residential institutions, children’s homes – a review of epidemiological studies

Witold Pawliczuk, Anna Kaźmierczak-Mytkowska, Tomasz Srebnicki, Tomasz Wolańczyk - Psychiatria Polska, 2018

This article presents an overview of the few studies carried out so far in the European residential institutions, including children’s homes, over the years 1940–2011 in the UK, Germany, Romania, and Poland.

Voicing young and older adult care-leavers in Belgium: How the experience of being in care shapes narratives of the self

An Nuytiens, Ilse Luyten, Jenneke Christiaens, Els Dumortier - International Journal of Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, 2018

This paper discusses the results of a qualitative study on adult care leavers in Flanders (Belgium).

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Foster parents exposed to political violence: The role of social support in addressing emotional and functional difficulties

Ohad Gilbar, Rami Benbenishty, Miriam Schiff, Rachel Dekel - Children and Youth Services Review, 24 Dec 2017

The first goal of this study was to describe posttraumatic symptoms (PTS) and problems in functioning among foster parents following their exposure to the war.

Malnutrition and psychosocial dysfunction among the orphan and vulnerable children in Kaski district, Nepal

Dipendra Malla, Bishwas Acharya, Lil Bahadur Nepali, Anup KC, Pratik Gurung, Nanda Lal Gupta, Hoshiar Singh Chauhan - Progress in Medical Sciences, 23 Dec 2017

The objective of this study was to assess malnutrition and psychosocial dysfunction among vulnerable children as well as to determine the association between malnutrition and psychosocial dysfunction among orphan and vulnerable children in Kaski district, Nepal.

Child abuse and neglect in institutional settings, cumulative lifetime traumatization, and psychopathological long-term correlates in adult survivors: The Vienna Institutional Abuse Study

Brigitte Lueger-Schuster, Matthias Knefel, Tobias M. Glück, Reinhold Jagsch, Viktoria Kantor, Dina Weindl - Child Abuse & Neglect, 22 Dec 2017

This study examines and compares the extent of child maltreatment (physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; physical and emotional neglect) and lifetime traumatization with regard to current adult mental health in a group of survivors of institutional abuse and a comparison group from the community.

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Emotional health and coping mechanisms among adolescents in Malaysian residential foster care homes: A comparative study with adolescents living with families

Marjan Mohammadzadeh, Esra Tajik, Hamidin Awang, Latiffah Abdul Latiff - Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 18 Dec 2017

This article presents the findings of a study that examined the emotional health status and coping mechanisms of adolescents living in residential care facilities in Malaysia, in comparison with that of adolescents living in families.

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Dealing with difference: a scoping review of psychotherapeutic interventions with unaccompanied refugee minors

Gwladys Demazure, Sydney Gaultier, Nicolas Pinsault - European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 06 Dec 2017

This paper summarizes the different interventions used with URMs to get an overview of techniques used for reducing psychopathologies and difficulties of URMs and to give recommendations to help professionals.

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Motivational Interviewing: A Primer for Child Welfare Professionals

Child Welfare Information Gateway, 01 Dec 2017

This factsheet provides child welfare professionals with an overview of motivational interviewing, describes circumstances when it could be applied, and highlights the basics of the method.

Living in an Immigrant Family in America: How Fear and Toxic Stress are Affecting Daily Life, Well-Being, & Health

Samantha Artiga and Petry Ubri - The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 01 Dec 2017

The authors of this study conducted focus groups with 100 parents from 15 countries and 13 interviews with pediatricians to gain insight into how the current political environment in the United States is affecting the daily lives, well-being, and health of immigrant families, including their children.