Development of a multi-layered psychosocial care system for children in areas of political violence

This paper describes a multi-layered psychosocial care system for children in areas affected by political violence, which was implemented in five (post-)conflict settings, including Sudan. The implemented ‘care package approach’ prioritizes the facilitated referral of patients along a continuum of care, with interventions targeted to the general population or the whole target group to prevent healthy, albeit at-risk, populations from developing psychosocial problems. The specific intervention methodologies used in this system range from social-pedagogic to psychiatric domains. The document emphasizes the importance of adapting assessment and services for affected children to their context, building on local perceptions of needs, traditional notions of healing, and inter-sectoral collaboration and integration within existing services.

This paper was originally published by the International Journal of Mental Health Systems.