BCN Joint Newsletter with 4Children: May 2018

Better Care Network & 4Children

This issue of the Better Care Network newsletter is published jointly with Coordinating Comprehensive Care for Children, or 4Children. 4Children is a 5-year USAID-funded project improving the health and well-being of vulnerable children affected by HIV and AIDS and other adversities. 4Children operates through Catholic Relief Services (CRS) with five other consortium partners. 

One of 4Children's programmatic emphases has been on family strengtheningFamily strengthening is comprehensive and includes a wide range of services and interventions, all of which are aimed at increasing the resiliency of caregivers and children, or helping them to manage and bounce back from stress and challenges by addressing risks and reinforcing protective factors. Family preservation services aim to address causes of family separation and the need for subsequent alternative care arrangements by providing interventions that promote the safety and well being of the child and family. Programmatic examples include holistic case management, savings and internal lending approaches, cash plus care, parenting programs, psychosocial support, integrated early childhood development services, mental health services and community support groups.

This issue highlights the latest programmatic resources, research articles and other publications, tools and guidance from 4Children and other partners that address resilience, caregiver mental health, early childhood stimulation and learning, and parenting support - all aspects of a holistic approach to family strengthening. This joint newsletter will help readers gain knowledge on the different ways that family strengthening is being addressed and to learn from the documented successes of programs around the globe.