Charitable Foundation for Children with Socially Significant Diseases “Children Plus”
Invisible Families
CSS contribution, rubles
Total budget, rubles
Implementation period, months
Project idea
The primary objective of the project is to promote the implementation of effective practices for providing social and psychological support to families raising children with HIV across five regions in Russia. Thanks to the project, each of these regions will have a dedicated team of specialists equipped to offer high-quality assistance to families raising children with HIV. Each team will be equipped with a toolkit for engaging with beneficiaries, including a storybook, methodological cards for guidance, a collection of diagnostic surveys, and questionnaires to monitor the team's effectiveness, as well as access to the Foundation's online training platform.
The activities of the project encompass:
Monthly parent club meetings,
- Monthly teen support group meetings,
- Family individual psychological counseling,
- Two-day family trip for project participants,
training via the foundation's online platform
Relevance
In our society, HIV infection carries a significant stigma, often perceived as shameful and associated with problem behavior. Individuals are more inclined to condemn someone with HIV instead of offering them support. In families raising a child with HIV, the entire family often faces discrimination. Based on the foundation's survey, 55% of these families encounter condemnation.
Families frequently conceal a diagnosis due to concerns about facing discrimination. Teenagers living with HIV often struggle to adhere to their treatment regimen due to limited understanding of their condition, difficulty accepting their diagnosis, familial challenges, and susceptibility to psychological trauma. Many people don't even know where to turn for help.
The Invisible Families project aims to tackle these issues effectively. It will ensure that families receive increased support from professionals and the broader community. It will create a safe space where teenagers living with HIV can socialize, learn, and thrive. Ultimately, it will foster a shift in attitudes toward teenager treatment and save young lives.
Social effect
Enhanced environments for socialization and the comfortable development of children living with HIV in five cities across the country
KPI
KPI
Project Results
The Invisible Families project has been successfully implemented. In each region, the following has appeared:
A team of specialists trained and certified;
- Methodological aids and tools for work provided by the Children+ Foundation include the fairy tale "Health Drops," psychological cards, an online platform, booklets, and didactic materials;
- A community of families raising children with HIV has been established to provide support;
Legal guardians and teenagers living with HIV acquired the essential understanding of the condition and the skills required to lead fulfilling lives.
Throughout the year-long Invisible Families project, participants forged friendships, discovered a safe haven, learned to share their joys and sorrows, and provided mutual support. Families visited the skating rink, trampoline center, horse farm, dog shelter, theaters, bowling alleys, and laser tag arenas.
The project has led to the formation of a parent community.
The meetings for teenagers addressed topics that assisted the youth in navigating the challenges of disclosing a diagnosis. They learned to treat their own health as a conscious and responsible priority, recognizing it as one of life's most important values. Matters of trust were addressed, including the question of whom to inform about their illness and under what conditions this should be done to avoid negative repercussions from the dissemination of information. The children engaged in exercises to enhance their communication and boundary-setting skills, learned conflict resolution techniques, and were instructed in methods of self-support.
Project progress after CSS funding
Once the funding for the Invisible Families project is ended, every region will be equipped with a team of experts skilled in delivering high-quality socio-psychological support to families nurturing children with HIV. The teams possess all the essential techniques, manuals, and online platforms required to educate families. This will be eligible for subsidies from local budgets. The community that has been established will also assist families in supporting one another beyond the scope of the project. Parents and teenagers who trust professionals will be more inclined to seek assistance. The knowledge and skills acquired by families regarding HIV will foster an environment that encourages teenagers to adhere to their therapy, thereby preserving their lives.
Professionals and families eagerly anticipate the project's continuation to acquire new knowledge and foster further collaboration.
