Psychosocial Support and Emergency Education: An Explorative Study of Perceptions among Adult Stakeholders in Sudan and South Sudan

Ragnhild Dybdahl,Suleima Elkhalifa,Anders Breidlid,Unni Marie Heltne

doi:10.3390/su12041410

Abstract

The link between education and psychosocial wellbeing is important, but complex. This study seeks to explore stakeholder’s views on the role of school education in the psychosocial support and wellbeing of children in the context of Sudan and South Sudan. Qualitative interviews were conducted among teachers, parents, counsellors, and NGO staff who were stakeholders in terms of providing education and psychosocial support for refugee children or children living in another kind of emergency situation. Even though no integrated psychosocial support was reported, teachers and schools were seen as having important roles to play, especially in terms of material and practical help, as well as for emotional needs. There was a clear motivation for providing more systematic help and access to methods and tools to serve this purpose. The development of helping strategies targeted for use in schools by teachers, which build on and strengthens existing ideas and practices, were explored. The potential for integrated psychosocial support is discussed based on these findings.

Highlights

School is important for children’s learning, and for basic human rights and wellbeing
The most prominent themes were related to the lack of resources, to material challenges, and to possible ways of providing psychosocial intervention, both from the school and the individual teacher
The similarity between the responses of the teachers from Sudan who took part in the group discussion and of the South Sudanese teachers’ responses to the questionnaire was striking. Both groups had the same focus regarding the role of the school and the education sector regarding psychosocial support, the tools that could be used, and the main challenges facing the provision of psychosocial support

Summary

Introduction

School is important for children’s learning, and for basic human rights and wellbeing In emergency situations such as conflict, natural disasters, poverty, and large-scale migration, children’s access to quality education is limited [1]. Recent years have seen an increased emphasis on the provision of education in emergency settings. This is mainly due to the serious consequences of children missing out on learning. It is a result of the commonly held views that education is good for children’s wellbeing and that education can mitigate the negative effects of conflicts and disasters. Studies from different settings have shown that both children and parents in emergency situations greatly value participation in education [2,3]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion