Orphans and Vulnerable Children - CRIN

The process of disclosure:

• Plan what you would like to disclose and how you would like to disclose it.


• Seek advice and support from others who have disclosed their health status to their
  children.


• When the time comes to disclose, be cautious. Watch the reactions of the child.
  If you realise that the news may cause harm at that moment, then postpone it.


• Express concern, care and love for the child as you make your disclosure.


• Speak directly and clearly and tell the truth.

Reactions to expect:

• The child may feel sad


• The child may be afraid


• The child may ask questions


• The child may doubt what you are saying


• The child may be upset if you have told others but not him or her about your
  HIV status or serious illness.
  In all these cases, express your care and love for the child, and that you have his or her
  well-being taken care of. It will help the child to feel secure if he or she is made to
  understand that they will be looked after and cared for; and that they will not be left
  alone.

For this activity you will need:

 Flipchart and markers

To facilitate this activity:

1 Explain to participants that making a memory book provides the opportunity for parents

to disclose sensitive or difficult information to children, in particular the parents’ HIV status.

(Other difficult information may include the child’s HIV status, who the child’s father is, whether

the child has siblings born out of wedlock). Then ask the participants to brainstorm the costs

and benefits of disclosing one’s HIV status to one’s children. Explain that while disclosure is

difficult for both the parent and the child, it has many benefits. Add to the list of benefits

developed in the brainstorming session using your facilitator’s notes.

2 Next, ask the participants what they think the best approach is to disclosing sensitive information

to children. For example: Which times and situations are best? How should the parent prepare?

What kind of language and tone should the parent use? What reactions should the parent expect?

Summarise and supplement the participants’ ideas using your facilitator’s notes.

3 If there is time, you may ask for participants to volunteer to role-play a parent disclosing his or

her HIV status to his or her child. Allow questions and discussion afterwards, if time permits.

45 minutes

(^288) Unit 2, Module 4 Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children