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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Impact of a Mentoring Program on Psychosocial Wellbeing of Youth in Rwanda: Results of a Quasi-Experimental Study

Lisanne Brown, Tonya R. Thurman, Janet Rice, Neil W. Boris, Joseph Ntaganira, Laetitia Nyirazinyoye, Jean De Dieu & Leslie Snider , 16 Nov 2009

This quasi-experimental study tested a model of adult mentorship and support to improve psychosocial outcomes among youth-headed households in a rural area of Rwanda.

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When the Safety Net Fails: Children in West and Central Africa and the Risk of HIV Infection

Plan West Africa, 01 Mar 2009

Study investigating the psychosocial impact of different high risk situations in West and Central Africa such as trafficking, ethnic cleansing, armed conflict or parental loss.

Guide to Implementing Family Skills Training Programmes for Drug Abuse Prevention

UNODC, 01 Mar 2009

UNODC published Guidelines to implement family skills training programmes for drug abuse prevention in March 2009. These guidelines contain evidence of effectiveness, principles of family skills training programmes, cultural adaptation guidelines, advice on how to recruit and retain families through the programmes, practical advice on training of staff, as well as information about monitoring and evaluating family skills training programmes.

Giving Hope: Asset Based Empowerment Methodology

Church World Service, 05 Jan 2009

This paper shares the philosophy and key components of the African development initiative Giving Hope that works with youth caregivers through an asset-based empowerment methodology. The approach facilitates the restoration of youth caregivers’ sense of self, belonging, power, and collective responsibility.

Preventing violence through the development of safe, stable and nurturing relationships between children and their parents and caregivers

WHO and Liverpool John Moores University, 2009

This briefing looks at the effectiveness of interventions that encourage safe, stable and nurturing relationships for preventing child maltreatment and aggressive behaviour in childhood. The focus is on primary prevention programmes, those that are implemented early enough to avoid the development of violent behaviour such as child maltreatment and childhood aggression.

Violence prevention: the evidence

WHO and Liverpool John Moores University, 2009

This report brings together an eight-part series of briefings on the evidence for interventions to prevent interpersonal and self-directed violence. By spotlighting evidence for the effectiveness of interventions, the series provides clear directions for how violence prevention funders, policy makers and programme implementers can boost the impact of their violence prevention efforts.

ARC resource pack: Study material - Foundation module 1: Understanding childhoods

ARC, 2009

This module aims to equip those responding in emergencies with an introduction to the theory and practice of working with children and of children’s rights.

India: The Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS): A centrally Sponsored Scheme of Government-Civil Society Partnership

The Indian Ministry of Women and Child Development , 2009

In 2006 the Indian Ministry of Women and Child Development proposed the adoption of an Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), which was adopted and launched by the central government in 2009-2010. Recognizing chronic under funding of child protection services in the country and major gaps in the system, the ICPS was expected to significantly contribute to the realization of Government/State responsibility by creating a system that would effectively and efficiently protect children.