Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)

The impact of conflict and disasters on children’s health – both physical and mental – can be devastating. The psychological consequences of emergencies can be acute in the short term, but they also undermine the long-term mental health and psychosocial well-being of those affected. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), and more specifically psychosocial service delivery, represents the largest share in financial allocations in child protection. However, in many Child Protection in Emergency contexts, there are considerable challenges.

The global CP AoR answers the needs for assistance to children through supporting the national coordinators with in-country and remote coordination guidance and through providing adequate technical recourses such as the remote training: "Orientation of frontline workers delivering community based mental health and psychosocial support" (7 video modules, also available in Spanish). CP AoR also ensures that policy frameworks are in line with the needs and signals technical MHPSS gaps to CP AoR partner organizations.

For more information on MHPSS and CP AoR's work on the subject, please click here or contact MHPSS specialist Koen Sevenants (ksevenants@unicef.org).