Build your Own Buddy: Feasibility of a Low-threshold Group Intervention for Young Children in South Sudan

In areas with a long history of conflict, like South Sudan, children and their parents can suffer from cumulative, ongoing, and intergenerational trauma. This can have serious consequences for their present and future well-being. Still, mental health care - also for children - is not prioritized by schools or NGOs. This paper describes the design and main conclusions of a trauma-informed mental health and psychosocial support intervention. The intervention targeted young children (aged 5 to 7) and their parents/caregivers in four remote and conflict-affected areas in South Sudan. The intervention comprised 12 group sessions for children with parallel sessions for parents that were delivered by lay community counsellors after a short training. It aimed to improve emotion recognition, regulation and communication, through storytelling and experiencing. The theory of change consisted of five theoretical principles: 1) sense of safety, 2) psychoeducation, 3) connectedness, 4) empowerment, and 5) body-mind connection. Feedback gathered during and after three pilot cycles led to new insights and adaptations. Overall, the intervention appeared to be effective and was well received. The theory of change and the feasibility study might inspire those working on MHPSS with young children in adverse circumstances.