Salaam Baalak Trust - working for street children

 Salaam Baalak trust mental heath programme.

 The key objectives of this project are to:

• To extend psychological support to children rescued from the streets and ensure their emotional and mental well-being
• To provide adequate support to children with learning and developmental challenges by enrolling them to special schools and enrolling them in professional institutions for therapeutic treatment

In the reporting period of the project, following key activities have been conducted by the project team.

1. Referral Sessions: Thesesessions are being conducted with the children who need regular counselling and face psychological difficulties and clinical symptoms.The appointed mental health team member conducts detailed clinical assessments and if specific problems are found then the case is discussed in the core group meeting for a clear diagnosis. Following this management plansare made and discussed with the concerned staff members. These plansarebeing implemented by the combined efforts of the team comprising of a psychiatrist, psychologist and social workers.
2. Psycho Social Counselling: The sessions are being conducted for children through informal discussions and problem solving. The issues currently being addressed during these sessions include, behavioural issues, anger and aggression management, sex and sexuality, emotional issues, drug abuse, relationship issues, academics, religion, belief systems, anxiety over a career decision among others.
3. Group Sessionshave been regularly organised to address psycho social issues. These session have been conducted in groupsofeight to 10 children. The sessions are mostly arts based to provide a non-threatening environment to children and enable them to share their problems and solve these through collaborative learning. These sessions have been instrumental in helping children heal at their own pace.
4. Enrolling Children with Special needs in Specialized Institutions: The children with learning disabilities have been enrolledin institutions likePrabhat Resource Centre and Orkids School for special educationand St. Stephens hospital for speech therapy.
5. Extending In-House Academic and Psychological Support: The teachers and social workers at the centre are providing academic and psychological support children with learning disabilities and they are regularly monitoring their progress as well.

Child Development Units (CDUs): The units provide children with neuro-developmental difficulties, a safe, nurturing environment and aim at early screening of mental health problems followed by carefully planned interventions. These were set up in September 2015. At present the CDU is covering eight boys with Autism Spectrum andattention deficit hyperactive Disorder.

attached is a report on this programme

• mental health programme (DOCX)