Orphans and Vulnerable Children - CRIN

Preparing for Home Visits: Monitoring for Signs of

Child Abuse

In this activity, you will:

 Discuss monitoring for signs of child abuse when making home visits

Facilitator’s notes:

It is often the case that OVC are more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation and have their rights

violated more often than other children. These children may be infected with HIV themselves,

or they may be children who have sick parents. They may be mentally or physically

disabled children who are denied access to schooling or adequate care and who

may be hidden from the community. Orphans and vulnerable children need to

be protected, but it is often these children who suffer the most discrimination

and abuse in the community.

In this activity, you will review the handouts dealing with signs of abuse with

participants. The handouts will form part of their home visitor’s handbooks

and they will use them as references to monitor any signs of child abuse

when making a home visit. Participants will also plan a course of action to

be taken (with appropriate referrals) if they do encounter any signs of abuse, in accordance

with the services available in the community and the prior decisions of the CCC.

For this activity you will need:

 Copies of Handouts 1 to 6 (from Activities 1 to 4)

To facilitate this activity:

1 Explain to participants that OVC have their rights violated more often than other children.

Orphans and vulnerable children need to be protected, but it is often these children who suffer

the most discrimination and abuse in the community. For this reason, when making home visits

to OVC, participants will be monitoring for signs of abuse.

2 Participants have learned to identify the different forms of abuse, and have paid close attention

to the signs of sexual and physical abuse. Discuss with the participants the steps that they should

take when they suspect or have evidence of any form of abuse in the households they are visiting.

3 Decide on a course of action (with appropriate referrals) in accordance with the services available

in the community and the prior decisions of the CCC. Work with the participants until they are

confident that they can successfully monitor OVC for abuse and take the necessary steps if abuse

is suspected. The referral information should be listed on their referral sheet in their handbooks.

Have the participants include Handouts 1 to 6 in their home visitor’s handbooks for reference.

40 minutes

Unit 2, Module 1 Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Activity 6

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