Completing the skills-set needed to support children with HIV and other life limiting illnesses – the Mildmay Uganda experience

1. Completing the skills-set needed to support
children with HIV and other life limiting illnesses –
The Mildmay Uganda experience
Dorothy Nakkazi, Edith Akankwasa Alice Bakunda, Jane Nakaweesi,
Christine Namwanje, Esther kawuma and Barbara Mukasa: Mildmay
Uganda

2. About Mildmay Uganda
• Specialist HIV/AIDS Care & Training Institution since
1998.
• Care is offered using a family approach to both
children & adults .
• Over 53000 clients are are in care with Mildmay
support ; 21% are children below 18 years.
• The training program offers both short courses and
long modular programmes, among which is the
Diploma in Child Counselling

3. Mildmay Uganda’s area of
Operation

4. Background to the Child
Counselling Programme
• A gap in the child counselling (CC) training
programmes was identified
‘Despite the need for CC, currently there is no
specialized training above a certificate’
(UCA Report 2009)
• Very few professionals trained in child
counseling (CC)
• Child counselling skills gaps among
professionals

5. Background cont.
Needs Assessment:
• Goal: Assessment of the need for a Child
Counselling diploma programme to
promote specialized skill levels in counselling
children.
• The identified needs would serve as a basis
for the development of a training curricula.

6. Needs Assessment results
• District Respondents: (N= 514)
District Kabale Kampala, Gulu Mbale
Wakiso
Freq % Freq % Freq % Freq %
Teachers 27 28 40 41 17 17 14 14
Health workers 24 19 25 20 40 32 36 29
Religious leaders 5 15 7 21 9 26 13 38
Children 37 14 104 40 68 26 48 19
Total 93 18.1 176 34.2 134 26.1 111 21.6

7. Needs Assessment results
• 81% of the adult respondents reported
counselling children
• 70% of the health workers (docs, nurses,
counsellors, social workers) offered CC.
• 18% of the health workers reported having
attained short courses in CC.
• 74% of the religious leaders offered general
counselling to children and adults.

8. After the Needs Assessment…
• Curriculum development was done
• Accreditation: by the National Council for
Higher Education.
• The pilot cohort commenced in August
2010.
• 26 students were enrolled (17 of these are to
graduate on the 19th September).

9. Programme Description
• Innovative adult teaching and learning
approaches
• In- service, work-based and multi disciplinary
• Duration: 18 months; with 6 compulsory course units.
• Academic and reflective assignments (formative
and summative).
• Mentorship/practicum support

10. Former student in practice

11. Testimonies
“I have improved my skills in communicating
and counseling children, and identification
of their needs of children and presentation
skills”.
“The practicum aspect is superb – it helped
me apply theory to practice”.
“I used to dodge counselling children before
the course, because of low confidence”

12. Currently…
• Curriculum Review has been
completed
• Second Cohort was recruited
• Classes commenced in July 2012

13. Gaps
1. The cost of the course was perceived as
high by the students.
2. The taught weeks were evaluated as being
too intense
3. The teaching staff also identified learning
needs such as knowledge and skills in
computation of grade points and curriculum
design. These needs have been met by staff
development workshops in these areas.

14. Lessons learnt
• There’s strengthened evidence that
specialised skills development is critical in
paediatric HIV care and support
• Relevant programme - Enhanced the holistic
care of children/families infected and
affected by HIV/AIDS

15. Future Plans
• Intensive student recruitment campaigns
• Have two/more cohorts running
concurrently
• Continuous curriculum reviews and updates
• Introduction of weekend/holiday
programme

16. Conclusion
• There is need to train a critical number
of child counsellors to meet the care
and support needs of children.
• Mildmay Uganda will rectify the gaps
identified and continue to train child
counsellors.

17. Acknowledgment
• Students
• Mentors
• Lecturers and support staff
• Management and staff at MUg

18. Acknowledgment & disclaimer
• This work is supported by Cooperative
Agreement Number 1UG2GPS002909-
01from The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC)
*The contents of this presentation are solely the responsibility of the authors and
do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC and the other

19. MILDMAY UGANDA SPECIALIZED COURSES IN
HEALTH CARE AND MANAGEMENT
We offer a range of programmes in health care and management ranging from one-day sensitization workshops to
much longer modular work-based programmes. Mildmay also partners with other national and international
organizations to offer tailor-made training and consultancy.
Our Modular Courses
• Degree/Diploma – Health Systems Approach to HIV & AIDS Care and Management (Validated by University of
Manchester)
• Diploma in Child Counseling
• Diploma in Community HIV&AIDS Care and Management (Validated by Mbarara University of Science and
Technology)
Consultancy and short Courses
• Paediatric HIV Clinical Care
• Participatory Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
• Strategic Communication and HIV&AIDS
• Safe Male Circumcision
• Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health
• Cervical Cancer Screening and Treatment
• Sexual Gender Based Violence
What students say---
• “My attitude toward people with HIV and AIDS has actually changed, before training I would judge people so
much, but training changed my attitude, anyone can get HIV, even you and I. This is the message on the AIDS
poster. I accept people the way they are. The knowledge I had on HIV and AIDS was complemented by skill.”
• For more information about our trainings, contact us on:
• T: 0312 210200
• F: 0312210205
• E: registrar@mildmay.or.ug
•