Evidence from the Frontline: Mental Health in Crisis Affected Contexts, episode 2: Child Friendly Spaces

Do Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) really improve children’s mental health?Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) are safe, structured places established quickly in emergencies where children can play, learn, and receive psychosocial support, to promote protection and wellbeing.In this second episode, Sarah Harrison, Acting Director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement MHPSS Hub, speaks with Professor Alastair Ager, Queen Margaret University and Columbia University and Phiona Koyiet, MHPSS Lead, World Vision International, for a practitioner-focused reflection.Together they examine what the evidence says about effectiveness and impact of CFS for children’s wellbeing, protection and mental health, drawing on rigorous research (see below) and unpack what this means in practice: setting and monitoring quality indicators, ensuring skilled facilitators (“animators”), and the importance of integrating CFS within a tiered system of care with clear referral pathways - since CFS are not ‘silver bullets’. They discuss field adaptations, cultural relevance, costs and staffing, and how evidence has shaped World Vision’s programming guidance.Key resources for practitionersTools and guidance for monitoring and evaluating Child Friendly SpacesThe Toolkit for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian SettingsRead more about the research:Evaluating the longer-term mental health, developmental and systems impact of Child Friendly Spaces in humanitarian emergencies An RCT of enhanced Child Friendly Space interventions for children affected by conflict and displacementEvidence from the Frontline: Mental Health in Crisis-Affected Contexts is a six-episode mini-series produced in collaboration between the MHPSS Hub and Elrha, designed for practitioners working in humanitarian and crisis contexts, the series highlights impactful interventions and practical insights from experts in the field.