Learning to Work with Orphans and Vulnerable Children: A training manual for para-social workers

The purpose of this training is to help para-social workers:

• Understand approaches to serve orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) affected and infected by HIV/AIDS and how to apply in providing care and support.
• Understand the psychosocial problems and solutions regarding orphans and vulnerable children including child development and psychosocial assessment and how to apply in providing care and support.
• Identify ways in which orphans are affected by the HIV epidemic in Tanzania, including:
  • Risk reduction for parents and orphans;
  • The health and social phases of HIV/AIDS as they affect children and families; and
  • Understanding of HIV treatment including opportunistic infections and antiretroviral therapy.
• Identify and be able to address a range of psychosocial challenges related to HIV for orphans and vulnerable children including:
  • Obtaining social support;
  • Providing counseling; and
  • Addressing stigma.
• Understand available resources and systems of care at the local, district and national level for orphans and vulnerable children, (including CMACs and MVC Committees) and develop skills in obtaining community services, and case management.
• Understand the Tanzanian specific policies related to HIV/OVC and international policy contexts related to these areas.
• Understand ethical issues that pertain to the provision of care and support to HIV/AIDS infected and affected orphans and vulnerable children.
• Develop skills in documentation, monitoring and reporting. 

Note: This training presentation is continually being evaluated and updated to reflect current needs and best practices. It should be viewed as a work in progress. Any person, organization, or institution making use of these materials must acknowledge that they were developed by the Tanzania Institute of Social Work, Jane Addams College of Social Work, and Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center with support from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), USAID/Tanzania, and the HIV/AIDS Twinning Center.