Child protection

Child protection is at the heart of everything we do. Every child deserves to grow up safe, protected and free from harm. We work with families, communities and local partners to strengthen child protection and create safer environments where children can thrive.

Millions of children face violence, exploitation and neglect, with children living in fragile and conflict-affected contexts being particularly vulnerable.

When children are exposed to harm, their wellbeing, development and future opportunities are at risk. Child protection is about preventing harm and ensuring appropriate action when it occurs. This is essential in every context, from conflict-affected areas to communities facing poverty.

That is why child protection is embedded in all Help a Child’s programmes and those of our partners, helping create safe environments where children can grow, develop and thrive.

Developed by Help a Child, the Parenting Challenge is a group-based programme that empowers parents and caregivers to strengthen their parenting skills and create safe, nurturing environments for their children. Through interactive sessions and peer-to-peer learning, parents explore positive parenting, communication, family relationships and child development. The Parenting Challenge covers subjects related to positive parenting, child development, nutritious feeding, positive disciplining, importance of education and lay and other topics that parents deal with in the process of raising their child.

Child-Friendly Spaces provide safe, welcoming environments where children can play, learn, connect with others and express themselves, especially in fragile and crisis-affected contexts. Through structured play, creative activities and interaction with trained facilitators, children receive opportunities to develop social and emotional skills and regain a sense of stability and security. By offering psychosocial support and promoting positive interaction, Child-Friendly Spaces help protect children from harm and support their wellbeing and development.

Developed by Help a Child, Empowered to Protect (E2P) is a community-based programme that aims to prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Through interactive group sessions, women and men explore harmful social norms, discuss safety risks and learn how they can prevent and respond to violence. The programme encourages communities to take collective responsibility for creating safer environments for women, girls and children. E2P can also include the INVI bracelet, a non-violent self-defence tool designed to deter an attacker and alert others in situations of danger.

What’s Up?! brings communities together to create safer environments for children. Through guided group discussions and open dialogue, children, parents and community members explore child protection concerns, challenge harmful norms and identify ways to prevent and respond to harm. By encouraging people to speak up, take action and work together, the approach strengthens community responsibility for children’s safety and wellbeing and helps create lasting change.

The What’s Up?! approach is implemented by Help a Child in countries such as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), bringing communities together to address child protection concerns and create safer environments for children.

Developed by Help a Child, My Friend is a psychosocial support programme for children aged 5–7 who have experienced adversity, trauma or stressful circumstances. Through storytelling, play and practical exercises, children learn to recognise and manage their emotions, cope with difficult experiences and build confidence. A parallel programme supports parents in understanding their children’s emotions and helping them cope with stress, strengthening family relationships and children’s emotional wellbeing.

Help a Child empowers communities to take an active role in protecting children and creating safe environments. By raising awareness, strengthening local capacities and encouraging collective action, we support communities in identifying child protection risks, challenging harmful social norms and developing locally driven solutions. We work with parents, community leaders, local organisations and other stakeholders to strengthen child protection mechanisms and ensure that children’s rights and safety are a shared responsibility.

Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

Help a Child works with communities to prevent gender-based violence by addressing harmful social norms, promoting gender equality and encouraging collective action. Through approaches such as Empowered 2 Protect (E2P), implemented in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and Burundi, we empower women and men to recognise, prevent and respond to violence and help create safer communities.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)

Help a Child integrates mental health and psychosocial support into its programmes to help children and caregivers cope with stress, adversity and traumatic experiences. We have a strong focus on MHPSS in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), where many children and families face challenging circumstances. Through our My Friend programme and other psychosocial support activities, we help children manage their emotions, build resilience and strengthen supportive relationships with their parents and caregivers.