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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Mediational Intervention for Sensitizing Caregivers to Improve Mental Health Outcomes in Orphaned and Vulnerable Children

Carla Sharp, Paulina Kulesz, Lochner Marais, Cilly Shohet, Kholisa Rani, Molefi Lenka, Jan Cloete, Salome Vanwoerden, Deborah Givon & Michael Boivin - Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 05 Mar 2021

The authors of this study conducted a quasi-experimental feasibility trial in South Africa to adapt and evaluate an established year-long semi-structured, manualized video-feedback caregiver intervention (the Mediational Intervention for Sensitizing Caregivers; MISC) for community-based organizations (CBOs) to equip community-based careworkers with the skills to address the mental health needs of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).

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Population Prevalence of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Subtype for Young Children in Nationwide Surveys of the British General Population and of Children-In-Care

Caitlin Hitchcock, Benjamin Goodall, Olivia Sharples, Richard Meiser-Stedman, Peter Watson, Tamsin Ford, Tim Dalgleish - Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 02 Mar 2021

This article explores population-level prevalence of Posttraumatic stress disorder for Young Children (PTSD-YC) to test whether application of Alternative Algorithm for PTSD (AA-PTSD) criteria, relative to the DSM-IV PTSD algorithm, increases identification of 5-6 year old children with clinical needs, in both the general population, and among looked-after-children where the risk of mental health issues is greater.

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Social relationships and their connection to mental health for young people who have been in the care system

Maritta Törrönen - The British Journal of Social Work, 27 Feb 2021

The interview data gathered in this study explored young adults’ well-being during the transition period from care to independent living under an English local authority and in Finland.

The science of love in childhood: Conversations with leading experts in childhood love, adversity and mental health

UNICEF, 04 Jan 2021

In this new series by UNICEF, Laura Mucha – author, poet and children’s advocate – interviews some of the world’s leading experts to find out why love is so important in childhood.

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Traumatic Brain Injury, Abuse, and Poor Sustained Attention in Youth and Young Adults Who Previously Experienced Foster Care

Michael D. Cusimano, Stanley Zhang, Xin Y. Mei, Dana Kennedy, Ashirbani Saha, Melissa Carpino, and David Wolfe; on behalf of the Canadian Brain Injury and Violence Research Team - Neurotrauma Reports, 2021

The purpose of the present study was to identify the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI), adverse childhood experiences (ACE), and poor sustained attention and the associations of these events in youth and young adults who previously experienced foster care.

Development and Validation of a Measure of Attachment Disorders Based on DSM-5 Criteria: The Early TRAuma-Related Disorders Questionnaire (ETRADQ)

Sebastien Monette, Chantal Cyr, Miguel M. Terradas, Sophie Couture, Helen Minnis, Stine Lehmann - Assessment, 31 Dec 2020

This study sought to validate the Early TRAuma-related Disorders Questionnaire (ETRADQ), a caregiver report which was developed to assess attachment disorders in school-age children based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth edition criteria.

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How can services be improved to effectively address the mental health of vulnerable children and young people?

Victoria Lidchi & Andy Wiener - Child Abuse & Neglect, 11 Sep 2020

This discussion article describes a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in the United Kingdom developed to meet the mental health needs of children and young people particularly those vulnerable children and young people at risk of actual or potential harm through child abuse and neglect, but may not be therapy ready.

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Individual and interpersonal factors associated with psychosocial functioning among adolescents in foster care: A scoping review

Brianne H. Kothari, Jennifer Blakeslee, Rebecca Miller - Children and Youth Services Review, 11 Sep 2020

This scoping review was conducted to synthesize the state of the science on proximal, modifiable individual and interpersonal factors that are associated with psychosocial well-being among adolescent youth in foster care.

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A pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial of two behaviour change interventions compared to usual care to reduce substance misuse in looked after children and care leavers aged 12-20 years: The SOLID study

Hayley Alderson, Eileen Kaner, Elaine McColl, Denise Howel, Tony Fouweather, Ruth McGovern, Alex Copello, Heather Brown, Paul McArdle, Deborah Smart, Rebecca Brown, Raghu Lingam - PLoS ONE, 08 Sep 2020

The SOLID study aimed to investigate the feasibility of a definitive randomised controlled trial, comparing two behaviour change interventions to reduce risky substance use (illicit drugs and alcohol), and improve mental health, in young people in care.

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The Guidebook to Childhood Trauma and the Brain

Eamon McCrory, 01 Sep 2020

This resource is designed to help professionals and carers understand the latest neuroscience research on childhood abuse and neglect, with insights and advice from clinicians, teachers, and social workers on how to put your learning into practice.