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The digital divide is especially pertinent in Majority World Countries (MWCs), and this was exacerbated greatly by the pandemic. Tackling the digital divide underpins the work of Human-- Computer Interaction for Development (HCI4D) and remains an important global endeavour. Our project aimed to understand how children and young people (CYP) in MWC coped during the pandemic and how technology played a role. Voices of CYP were complemented by those of their parents and professionals with whom CYP interacted regularly. Our empirical study involved 73 CYP and 76 adults from Brazil, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa, and Turkey. Qualitative data from diaries, drawings and focus groups were analysed thematically. Four major themes were identified -- 'access', 'usage', 'risk', and 'future Among others, some intriguing findings were that CYP acutely felt the peer pressure on ICT ownership and tended to direct frustration at parents, who grappled with their untenable roles as gatekeepers to digital worlds. Implications for addressing the digital divide include long-term strategies to improve infrastructures and mobilise community-based collaborative efforts and enhance digital literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several risk factors for children's mental health and wellness have been established. These are compounded by inequalities, especially in Majority World Countries (MWC). As evidence is largely based on adult reports, we aimed to capture children's experiences of risk across five MWC resource-constrained settings (Brazil, Pakistan, Turkey, Kenya, and South Africa) during the height of COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included 36 children aged 8–10 years and 37 young people aged 14–16 years. We employed a thematic design using a participatory methodological approach in collecting data through diary entries, drawings, posters, focus groups discussions, and child-led interviews with elders. Two researchers integrated and analysed the data set through a thematic codebook framework. Three identified themes related to exacerbation of existing risks, disruption or loss of protective factors, and lack of access to structural supports. Children linked risk factors along their socioecology. The findings have implications in actively involving children as social actors in determining and addressing risk for mental health and wellness through child-centred and multi-sectoral policy and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children living in resource-constrained environments have high levels of unmet psychosocial needs. Through participatory focus groups, we juxtaposed the views of 55 children aged 7–10 years from resource-constrained settings in South Africa and Pakistan, with those of 96 service providers, focusing on available sources of psychosocial support. Children largely relied on individual and relational resources, with limited awareness of structural supports. Service providers focused less on children's capacity, instead viewing schools and community-based resources as essential sources for psychosocial support. Children's agency and capacity should be recognized and bolstered to inform service planning, community-based interventions, and systemic change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to establish the perspectives of community providers on challenges and enablers in developing child mental health capacity in disadvantaged communities in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach: The authors involved 29 community providers operating in a large urban-deprived area in the Gauteng Province, east of Johannesburg. Community providers had educational, social and health care backgrounds. Their perspectives were captured through three focus groups, two participatory workshops and reflective diaries. Data were integrated and subjected to inductive thematic analysis. Findings: Three interlinked themes were identified. Community mobilization was viewed as pre-requisite through mental health awareness and strategies to engage children, youth and parents. Service provision should take into consideration contextual factors, predominantly inequalities, lack of basic needs and gender-based issues (domestic violence, teenage pregnancy and single motherhood). Participants referred to severe mental health needs, and related to physical health conditions, disabilities and impairments, rather than to common mental health problems or wellbeing. They proposed that capacity building should tap into existing resources and integrate with support systems through collaborative working. Practical implications: Child mental health policy and service design in Majority World Countries (MWCs), should involve all informal and structural support systems and stakeholders. Contextual factors require consideration, especially in disadvantaged communities and low-resource settings, and should be addressed through joined up working. Originality/value: Children's mental health needs are largely unmet in MWC-disadvantaged communities. These findings capture the experiences and perspectives of various community providers on how to enhance mental health provision by mobilizing communities and resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Child mental health interventions in Majority World Countries should be contextualized to local sociocultural needs. • Integration to existing psychosocial support can enhance uptake and maximize limited resources. • A Train-of-Trainer cascade approach has potential to widen reach and sustain impact. • Communities should be involved in the whole design and implementation process. This study evaluated the process of integrating child and youth mental health to existing psychosocial support in disadvantaged South African communities. Four child practitioners of the host organization attended a Train-of-Trainer programme. They subsequently co-produced an intervention informed by a service transformation framework along five service domains. Implementation involved 368 community participants. A sub-sample of 43 participants were engaged in focus groups on their experiences. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. Established themes were inter-linked and transcended the five intervention domains. Engagement and conceptualization of mental health through awareness were viewed as pre-requisites to application of new knowledge. This should be supported by systemic changes, predominantly community mobilization and integrated care. Knowledge transfer involving collaboration between services and communities would enable sustainability of impact. The findings led to the formulation of a Theory of Change. Integration of child and youth mental health through a cascade approach that actively involves communities in co-production and delivery can enhance service provision in resource-constrained Majority World contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to establish how stakeholders in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) conceptualize child mental health impact. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 stakeholders from disadvantaged urban communities in Kenya, South Africa, Turkey and Brazil. Participants represented education, welfare and health care agencies; as well as community and religious groups. Data were analysed through a thematic approach and three related themes were identified. Impact was defined as a process of change, with child-centred outcomes and measures that were broader than mental health symptoms improvement. Beneficiaries were identified at child, family, community and service level. Participants wished to see strategies that ensured sustainability of impact, namely child mental health policy, stakeholder engagement, interdisciplinary working, and capacity-building for all stakeholder groups. Child mental health service transformation in LMIC, especially in areas of deprivation, needs to build on existing resources and strengths by co-producing psychosocial outcomes with a range of professional and community stakeholders. Impact on children's mental wellbeing can be achieved through a co-ordinated strategy that involves designated policy, capacity-building, and interdisciplinary networks with meaningful community involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]