Resources Database

This reviews published literature on the mental health status of mothers living with HIV (MLH) and how this affects their children. It offers several recommends for integrating mental health services into delivery of other health and HIV services, including home visiting programs, collaboration among social service and other sectors, and cash transfer programs.

This resource was written particularly for those who have little or no experience working with children with disabilities.

A three-day consultative meeting held in Zambia in 2016 sought to identify key issues and recommendations towards an accelerated care reform process in Zambia. Specifically the meeting sought to identify challenges and gaps which may be hindering the care reform process and to identify priority actions and next steps. These were addressed through the following focus areas:
· evidence building and sharing;
· capacity strengthening and;
· advocacy related to family strengthening and alternative care.

Better Parenting Nigeria is a discussion peer learning and sharing model. Exchange is promoted by a parenting facilitator posing questions, guiding the discussion and emphasizing good practices, encouraging participation, praising examples of good parenting, and gently correcting information if negative advice is shared.

This guidance consists of six booklets full of practical actions and tips. The booklets cover: general guidance, nutrition, health & HIV/AIDS, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), child protection, and education. Available in English, Arabic & French

Comprised of eight tools, this toolkit is designed to support PSS facilitators to strengthen inclusion of children and adolescents with disabilities in a range of PSS activities, including community-based and focused activities. It includes guidance, key actions and tools to improve outreach and identification of children with disabilities for PSS activities; to adapt existing PSS activities; and to support children and adolescents with disabilities who are at medium to high risk of child protection concerns.

As part of a larger toolkit, this section provide capacity development tools on disability inclusion into GBV programming. The activities and content presented in these tools are intended to be integrated and mainstreamed throughout core child protection and GBV training packages, including through case studies and examples centered on children and youth with disabilities. Also available in French and Arabic.

A consortium of organisations developed and tested an instrument that helps reflect on the long-term social and economic return of investing in children and families.

In recognition of the limitations of cash alone, governments (sometimes in partnership with other actors) have introduced ‘Cash Plus’ initiatives, which provide regular cash transfers plus additional support or linkages to services in a bid to extend and maximize positive impacts. This report is summarizes how cash plus programmes work and their benefits, including linking recipients to other services in the community, home visitation programs, psychosocial support services and other services provided by the social service workforce.

Systems strengthening including through strengthened work of community child protection groups and stronger child protection systems are among successful strategies for ending violence against children.

This report includes case studies demonstrating the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration, including the social service workforce, for continuity of care.

Children in out-of-home placements are at elevated risk for behavioral problems. More research is needed to identify factors that can be targeted in prevention and intervention efforts to improve behavioral health outcomes among this vulnerable population. A systematic review was conducted with the aim of developing a better understanding of the psychosocial factors associated with the behavioral health of children in foster and kinship care.

This discussion guide is intended to accompany the video series to share ways to create a more supportive environment and develop an agency culture that responds to caregivers' needs.

This paper reports on the health and psychosocial impacts of a programme designed to economically empower female caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). As a result of participating in savings groups, the caregivers had increased earnings, borrowed more, repaid their loans, and expanded their businesses. Important health impacts were found for both the caregivers and the OVC, which are reported in the findings of this paper.

The aim of the course is to develop an appropriate training program for social auxiliaries.

Armed conflict, natural disaster and forced displacement affect millions of children each year. Such humanitarian crises can erode existing family and community protection mechanisms - increasing the risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence. Within these contexts, child protection experts work to prevent and respond to protection concerns. Yet the evidence-base that should inform these interventions is lacking.

This paper reports on findings from an evaluation study of two institutions providing transition programmes to adolescent girls transitioning from institutional care in Zimbabwe. The study sought to understand how government-based and NGO-based institutions were delivering services to prepare adolescents for life outside care and whether these services complied with Standard Six of the National Residential Child Care Standards in Zimbabwe.

This resource provides guidance and considerations before undertaking a short-term mission trip.

Increasing the use of research evidence in decision-making is critical to ensuring that agencies effectively serve families in producing intended outcomes, including the safe achievement of legal permanency through reunification, adoption, or guardianship. This document provides a catalog of strategies drawn from several fields (social work, public health, education) and research traditions (implementation science, utilization-focused evaluation, social research and development (R&D), and translational research).

A desk review was conducted to examine the current gaps in investment related to care and treatment for children living with or affected by HIV.There is a need for an investment case to clearly articulate and advocate for increased financial support for an HIV sensitive social service system that can adequately address and respond to the needs of vulnerable children.