In this 6 and half hour curriculum from Save the Children, you will explore the concept of child development, wellbeing and psychosocial support. Building on best practice and current research on the topic, this training responds to the request for capacity building support for field staff working directly with distressed children and families in hard-to-reach areas around the world. Throughout the training you will be introduced to several key aspects of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and how to support the resilience of both children and caregivers. This training package consists of six modules, each about one hour in duration, which can be used across sectors by different humanitarian actors. It can be used as a stand-alone training tool or as part of a comprehensive training package on MHPSS and resilience-promoting activities for children, caregivers and families. Each module focuses on facilitation skills which promote fun, safety and inclusion. The modules draw on new insights on the importance of play from a neuroscience perspective, with ideas for activities designed to alleviate the long-term impact of toxic stress on children’s brains and development.

Objectives:

• Enhance the knowledge and skills of staff and volunteers in supporting the psychosocial wellbeing of children and their caregivers based on their situation and stage of development.
• Understand child development and why it concerns everyone.
• Learn how to support psychosocial wellbeing and strengthening resilience.
• Identify approaches and interventions to strengthen the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of children and young people across different humanitarian interventions.
• Apply different facilitation techniques that are useful when working with children and young people.
• Recognize the importance of play in supporting children’s wellbeing and development.

*