Mental health needs of children and adolescents in child care institutions in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The number of children placed in institutional settings around the world is rapidly increasing due to factors like poverty, war, violence and substance use1. Bringing up children in childcare institutions can deleteriously affect their development due to profound deprivation of sensory, linguistic, cognitive, emotional and psycho-social stimulation1. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report in 2009, up to eight million children are in institutions worldwide2. However true figures may be higher due to gaps in global statistics and unregistered children’s homes3.