Evidence from the Frontline: Mental Health in Crisis Affected Contexts is a six-episode podcast mini-series produced in a collaboration between the MHPSS Hub and Elrha.
This second episode is framed by the question: Do Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) really improve children’s mental health?
Sarah Harrison, Acting Director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement MHPSS Hub, speaks with Professor Alastair Ager, Queen Margaret University and Columbia University and Phiona Koyiet, MHPSS Lead, World Vision International, for a practitioner-focused reflection.
Together they examine what the evidence says about effectiveness and impact of CFS for children’s wellbeing, protection and mental health, drawing on rigorous research and unpack what this means in practice: setting and monitoring quality indicators, ensuring skilled facilitators (“animators”), and the importance of integrating CFS within a tiered system of care with clear referral pathways – since CFS are not ‘silver bullets’. They discuss field adaptations, cultural relevance, costs and staffing, and how evidence has shaped World Vision’s programming guidance.
The six episodes of Evidence from the Frontline: Mental Health in Crisis Affected Contexts is published through the Heartbeat of Humanity podcast.
Listen to the podcast here or subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast or wherever you find your podcasts.
