Joshua Orawo Olweru

Loss and Grief:: the Child's Dilema Joshua Orawo Olweru

Problems of delinquency, mental breakdowns, illiteracy and other maladjustments in the society, mostly associated with the orphaned children, is posing a great danger that needs to be explored. Therapeutic interventions in counseling and psychological support services being provided seem not to be achieving the intended goal. This book explores the effectiveness of the therapeutic intervention of loss and investigates the causes of maladjustment among vulnerable children using qualitative Participatory Action Research (PAR). Pertinent issues revealed in this book include a revelation that there is an increasing number of orphans whose parents have died of HIV related sicknesses and who suffer stigma and discrimination which interferes with their healing process. Further, children whose parents died when they were aged between 6-7 had a better coping mechanism than those whose parents died when they were between age 3-5. The book recommends the need for communication of policies on care for the orphans to all stakeholders, psycho social support for orphans, and sensitization and capacity building to the general public on the issues of orphaned children.