Enhanced Child Friendly Space Interventions for Children

A Child Friendly Space (CFS) is an acute phase humanitarian intervention designed to provide children with a safe, supportive, and stable environment early after the onset of crisis that will promote their social and emotional well-being, as well strengthen the existing systems of protection required to support children in reaching developmental milestones. Typically, CFSs house a range of structured and unstructured activities led by trained animators in a community-designated safe area. The basic service package offers a mixture of recreational and non-formal education activities over a twelve-week period. Each session lasts around 1.5 - 3 hours. Structured activities offered include basic literacy and numeracy lessons, life skills exercises, health and hygiene sessions, and traditional song and dance. Many activities are centered around various forms of play that enable expression and age-appropriate skill development. Unstructured free play and playground time is allocated throughout the daily session. The enhanced service package provides 40 sequential sessions selected by CFS program staff in advance and implemented over a twelve-week period. Activities are meant to build upon and reinforce one another and are organized into seven psychosocial themes: 1) Building community: "Our space together", 2) Emotional learning: "My feelings", 3) Wellbeing and coping: "Feeling good", 4) Social support: "My friends and family", 5) Relating to others: "Being a good friend", 6) Protection and boundaries: "My safety", and 7) Building on strengths: "All my supports". Each session takes approximately 1.5 - 2 hours to facilitate and will conclude with 1-1.5 hours unstructured free play time.