Psychosocial support

For Musa Kuzwayo, high school was a constant struggle to fit in – until he became a community radio youth reporter at Alex FM. Working on the UNICEF-supported mental health project, he found a platform where he could express himself, and help others to do the same. In the quiet corners of our minds, battles are waged daily, unseen by the world.  …

Ms Jeanette, Hunter, DDG for General Primary Health Care in the National Department of Health, Dr Gustaaf Wolfaardt, Managing Director of FPD, presenters, partners, colleagues Mental ill-health: a public threat Mental health problems in childhood and adolescents pose a major threat to public health in South Africa. A systematic review, conducted…

Cape Town:  COVID-19 has put the mental health and well-being of an entire generation at even greater risk. The disruption to their routines, education, recreation, as well as concern for family income and health, is leaving many young people feeling afraid, angry and anxious for their future. Child and adolescent mental health was therefore the…

Children in South Africa are exposed to a lot trauma, violence, abuse and neglect. In these situations, children have little control, and they need someone to step up and hold their hand through the storm that trauma brings. All caregivers have a responsibility to protect and care for children. First responders are heroes (who don’t wear capes) …

This Community of Practice (CoP) intervention research project is a multi- and trans-disciplinary collaboration between researchers and practitioners across different sub-fields, including social work, sociology, psychology, education psychology, education, mathematics and language curriculum specialists, mental health, nutrition, primary health…

In response to ‘The Charter: Leave No Child Behind: Ending Violence Against Children in Africa’ which was adopted at the 2019 Child Trauma Conference, the key outcome of the African Child Trauma Conference 2020 was to develop an Emergency Action Plan. Addressing the dire needs of children, the 375 delegates engaged on the impact of COVID-19 on…

To a greater or lesser degree, the last 6 months have disrupted all our lives. The work of a humanitarian organization in stepping into this gap results in redirecting campaign resources for emergency relief campaigns with the focus on getting immediate crisis care and help to those most affected by COVID-19. During this global pandemic, UNICEF…, Reggae Vibes, August began with us ‘getting together’ with the Marley family and embracing a reggae vibe in the global One Love | Reimagine campaign where Bob Marley’s iconic song, ‘One Love’ was reimagined with singers from conflict zones from around the world. Its theme of solidarity and unity resonated with our mission. All online donations from this…, Breastfeeding Concerns, At the beginning of August we commemorated World Breastfeeding Week, an initiative UNICEF South Africa has been part of since its inception. As a constant advocate for supporting and educating new mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding, concerns about breastfeeding during the pandemic also came under the spotlight . Mother-and-baby Donor support…, Crisis Relief , The on-the-ground success of two of our ongoing UNICEF SA campaigns since the onset of the pandemic - Little Hands Matter and Buckets of Care - have made a significant impact in many communities across South Africa. To date, 90 handwashing/soap stations have been implemented in communities, reaching 45 000 people.  10 000 buckets of care have been…, Young Voices, By 2030, Africa will be home to more than a quarter of the world’s population under the age of 25, and so, listening to the voices of South Africa’s young people is part of our UNICEF SA vision and our involvement in an online event - the Youth Dialogue Broadcast in partnership with PwC . The aim was to hear the stories of our youth, learn about…, UNICEF South Africa, If you are looking to partner with a humanitarian organization’s vision to reimagine the futures of children, then UNICEF SA promises to continue to put your online donations to work in the vital areas of health, education and protection. Our mandate is the protection of the rights of children and we are relentless in making this our mission and…

Livhuwani knows first-hand the value of social work in supporting children and young people who have suffered violence in South Africa. “In terms of violence, it was there where I grew up,” says the Johannesburg-based Childline South Africa social worker, “I didn’t know it as ‘gender-based violence’, I knew it as ‘a man must rule his family.’ –…

The challenge, A third of girls in South Africa experience some form of violence, often from someone they know. Violence against children remains a critical challenge facing South African society today, despite tremendous efforts to curb this scourge. The legacy of violence and extreme inequality from South Africa’s past is compounded by high poverty and…, Resources, Publications and reports, The solution, woman-walking-with-children UNICEF is committed to ending violence against children, gender-based violence and femicide. UNICEF is working tirelessly towards the vision of a South Africa free of violence. While the scale of this challenge is daunting, with focused policy, advocacy and intervention – and with the joint commitment and resources of…

Sithembile and Themba’s mother has died and they miss her very much. Although they are sad, they come to realise that they are cared for and are not alone. Remembering Mommy is a useful starting point for talking to young children about death and grief. July 2007

UNICEF, together with key government counterparts, organised a meeting with a few selected national experts on the psychosocial care and support of babies and young children within the context of HIV and AIDS. One of the critical aspects to be addressed by this meeting was the psycho-social care and support of babies and young children who are HIV…

This book about a little hare who doesn't feel well, deals with the feelings he experiences in a concrete and understandable manner for the young child. It explains the feelings and possible support to be provided in an enchanting and child friendly manner. Available in IsiXhosa/English July 2004