Psychosocial Responses

This section looks at responses which seek to provide psychosocial support to orphans and other vulnerable children. Other sections look in detail at counseling, succession planning, training in psychosocial support and examples of psychosocial responses. Key points in responding to the psychosocial needs of orphans and other vulnerable children are:

1. All responses should be guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

2. All responses should treat all children and young people equally without discrimination.

3. Communications with children and young people should be based on openness and truth.

4. Children and young people need to be prepared for the death of a parent. This helps them understand what is happening. This means they can then cope better with grief and loss.

5. Children and young people are individuals. They respond differently and have individual psychosocial needs.

6. Early responses can prevent more serious problems occurring later.

7. Children and young people should be allowed to participate in decisions which affect their future.

8. Care of children is best provided in families and communities. Institutions are very poor at meeting the psychosocial needs of children and young people.

9. Responses need to focus on families as well as on individual children and young people.

10. The community is an essential source of psychosocial support, Community members need to be involved in any response.

11. Monitoring of programmes is needed to see what works best. Research is also needed into the impact of HIV/AIDS on children and how children and young people cope.

12. Responses need to focus on all children's needs, not only the physical. Such programmes are called holistic.

Resources

The journey of life. Picture codes for the community: the journey of life awareness and action workshops (Eng)

This book contains 18 picture codes used in the Journey of Life and the Action Workshops which cover areas like Community Parenting, Helping Children to Understand Death and Life Skills. They provide a useful way to allow groups of people of any educational level to share their knowledge and skills and to develop strategies to improve their lives.
Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI), 2005, 30 pages, 6230 kb

The journey of life. Community workshops to support children. Manual 2: Action workshops (Eng)

This manual takes groups through 4 action workshops on community parenting, helping our children to understand death, life skills and a training of trainers for the Journey of Life series.
Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI), 2005, 93 pages, 3120 kb

Building Blocks: Africa-wide Briefing Notes: Psychosocial support (Eng)

This is one in a series of six 'Building Blocks' publications. It seeks to explore the psychosocial support need that orphans and other vulnerable children have.
International HIV/AIDS Alliance, 2003, PDF, 24 pages, 387 kb.

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Building Blocks: Africa-wide Briefing Notes: Psychosocial support (Fre)

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Children & their Psychosocial Needs: Experiences from India (Eng)

This presentation gives an overview of the psychosocial needs of children affected by HIV and AIDS in India and outlines the response of Alliance India
Singh, B., Alliance India, July 2004, ppt, 2940kb, 13 pages

The journey of life: a community workshop to support children (Eng)

Designed to raise awareness of the problems and needs of children, and provides guidelines on how the community can find solutions
REPSSI, 2004, PDF, 1710kb, 49 pages

Considerations in evaluating cross-cultural psychosocial programs: Realism, Resources, Respect

This presentation offers principles and practical tips for evaluating psychosocial prorgams across cultures.
Joan Duncan, powerpoint presentation, 14 slides, 233 kb

HIV positive: a book for caregivers to help children cope emotionally with HIV/AIDS (Eng)

This book offers practical ways in which caregivers can help children under nine to cope with the emotional affect that HIV may have on their lives.
The media in education trust (MiET), PDF, 40 pages, 1610 kb

Psychosocial Support for Children Affected by AIDS: Practical responses from Zimbabwe and Tanzania (Eng)

This paper discusses the psychosocial needs of children affected by HIV and AIDS using examples of projects from Zimbabwe and Tanzania.
Stefan Germann, Kurt Madörin, Ncazelo Ncube, 2001, word, 3 pages, 51 kb

Children in crisis: good practice in evaluating psychosocial programming (Eng)

This resource contains guidance and good practice on the concepts, methods and tools that can be used in evaluating psychosocial programming with children.
The International Psychosocial Evaluation Committee & Save the Children Federation, Inc., Joan Duncan & Laura Arntson, 2004, 131 pages, 1060 kb