Foundation for the future: meeting the psychosocial needs of children living with HIV in South Africa and Uganda

Successes in diagnosing and treating pediatric HIV have necessitated care that extends beyond basic medical needs, but the capacity for providing childhood psychosocial support (PSS) remains limited. This study explored  the challenges of young people living with HIV (PLHIV), care providers and parents in Uganda and South Africa, as well as the challenges in meeting the psychosocial needs of HIV-positive children. Three areas for childhood PSS were examined: disclosure, stigma, and grief/bereavement. This research identified programming gaps, strategies and good practices in five focal areas: providing immediate post diagnosis support, stigma reduction, capacity building, addressing grief, and promoting peer support.