Monthly Corner
Astha Ramaiya [Co-author] Shared the Journal Article - Published in Child Abuse & Neglect, June 2026
A new systematic review published in Child Abuse & Neglect examined the link between mental health and technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse (TF-CSEA). Analysing 10 studies with over 25,000 participants across seven countries, researchers found that depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and prior trauma were consistently associated with victimisation. Crucially, the relationship appears bidirectional with mental health difficulties both preceding and resulting from exploitation; creating potential cycles of repeated harm. Perhaps most striking: traditional parental monitoring through technological surveillance showed limited protective effects. What actually mattered? The quality of parent-child relationships including, open communication, emotional warmth, and trust. The findings suggest prevention efforts should combine universal school-based programmes building emotional resilience with targeted support for high-risk youth, while parent education should prioritise connection over control. With 12.5% of children globally experiencing online solicitation annually, understanding these psychological pathways is essential for effective child protection.
Alok Srivastava, Vasanti Rao & Amita Puri Article on International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, January 2026
Tara Prasad Article on Challanges and Lessons Learns of GESI responsive and inclusive conservatiom practices, Nepal
Ritu Dewan & Swati Raju Article on Economic and Political Weekly
Viera Schioppetto shared Thesis on Gender Approach in Development Projects
Events
Vacancies
- Seeking Senior Analyst - IPE Global
About the job
IPE Global Ltd. is a multi-disciplinary development sector consulting firm offering a range of integrated, innovative and high-quality services across several sectors and practices. We offer end-to-end consulting and project implementation services in the areas of Social and Economic Empowerment, Education and Skill Development, Public Health, Nutrition, WASH, Urban and Infrastructure Development, Private Sector Development, among others.
Over the last 26 years, IPE Global has successfully implemented over 1,200 projects in more than 100 countries. The group is headquartered in New Delhi, India with five international offices in United Kingdom, Kenya, Ethiopia, Philippines and Bangladesh. We partner with multilateral, bilateral, governments, corporates and not-for-profit entities in anchoring development agenda for sustained and equitable growth. We strive to create an enabling environment for path-breaking social and policy reforms that contribute to sustainable development.
Role Overview
IPE Global is seeking a motivated Senior Analyst – Low Carbon Pathways to strengthen and grow its Climate Change and Sustainability practice. The role will contribute to business development, program management, research, and technical delivery across climate mitigation, carbon markets, and energy transition. This position provides exceptional exposure to global climate policy, finance, and technology, working with a team of high-performing professionals and in collaboration with donors, foundations, research institutions, and public agencies.
Do Existing Support Programs Adequately address the Psychological Well-being Needs of Parents/Caregivers/Personal Support Persons of Children with Special Needs?
The question is – how can a broken Parent/Caregiver/Personal Support Person take care of a child/children with developmental challenges, as these children require extra support and attention?
Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health illnesses globally. Parental depression is on the increase, most especially for parents of children with developmental disabilities, compared to parents of children without disabilities. Parental depression can ‘steal’ the livelihood in all spheres of life of parents of children with developmental challenges. These parents need to be in a very good, mentally healthy state to provide the support and care needed for the children's healthy growth and development.
Following my earlier research on Policy Priorities for ageing adults with autism: Perspectives of Personal Support Persons, almost all Provinces in Canada have very excellent and appreciative support programs for children with developmental challenges. One critically and equally important support service which is conspicuously missing is an intentionally desired psychological well-being support program for the Parents/Caregivers/Personal Support Persons of these children. Available and current literature strongly suggest that the absence of any singular program to ensure that the Parents/Caregivers/Personal Support Persons of these children are sound and mentally healthy to shoulder the frustrations, stress, loss of self, and resource burden that they experience on daily basis to care and support their children with developmental challenges can result in long term psychological health distress, which could lead to an emerging public health concern.
This requires urgent critical attention for policy consideration because the fact is that even when Parents/Caregivers/Personal Support Persons seem to have all the resources that the child will need, but lack a psychological balance can be more devastating to the child than the other way round. One enormous negative impact of parental depression is the loss of natural bonding between the child and the parents, which could disrupt desired family functions. And when these two key desired spaces are missing, all other resource investments cannot yield the desired outcomes for the child.
Key Words – Psychological Well-being, Mental Health, Depression, Parents, Children with Developmental Challenges
Key Messages
1. Caring for a child with a developmental challenge has a higher probability of affecting parents' psychological health.
2. Parents of children with developmental challenges are at a higher risk of suffering from anxiety and depression and may experience an increased risk of psychological health problems due to several related stressors, such as desired extra caregiver demands, financial and resource demands, loss of personal livelihood, including career and personal purpose, among others.
3. And if parental depression or psychological health-related problems are not recognized and/or treated promptly, it would have a devastating impact on the natural bonding between parents and the child, which would disrupt the family functions, hence leaving the child in the worst state despite available resources.
4. Parents of children with developmental challenges therefore equally need specialized designed psychological health programs to support their well-being, as parenting is a lifetime journey.
With the above picture depicting the daily traumatizing stress for a parent of a child with developmental challenges, it is proposed that there should be intentional specialized psychological health programs to support the mental well-being of these Parents/Caregivers/Personal Support Persons.
Conclusion
Helping Parents/Caregivers/Personal Support Persons feel more capable and effective in caring for their child with special needs may reduce the risk of depression. A specialized psychological health program for Parents/Caregivers/Personal Support Persons of children with developmental challenges would help them manage their own stress and feelings of isolation, thereby sustaining their psychological well-being to ensure smooth and desired parenting and caregiving to their children and family.
Conflict of Interest
The author declares that there was no conflict of interest in any way in writing this article, and hereby gives consent for publication of this article.
Reference
1. Hoyle JN, Laditka JN, Laditka SB. Mental health risks of parents of children with developmental disabilities: A nationally representative study in the United States. Disabil Health J. 2021 Apr;14(2):101020
2. Marquis SM, McGrail K, Hayes MV. Mental health outcomes among parents of a child who has a developmental disability: Comparing different types of developmental disability. Disabil Health J. 2020 Apr;13(2):100874.
3. Scherer N, Verhey I, Kuper H (2019) Depression and anxiety in parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE 14(7): e0219888.
4. Arim, R. A profile of persons with disabilities among Canadians aged 15 years or older from the Canadian Survey on Disability, 2012. Catalogue no. 89-654-X-No.2015001. 2015. Statistics Canada. Ref Type: Report 607-618.
5. The Government of Saskatchewan. People living with disabilities. https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/family-and-social-support/peo... Accessed 01.04.2022.
6. Woodman A, Mawdsley H, Hauser-Cram P. Parenting Stress and Child Behaviour Problems within Families of Children with Developmental Disabilities: Transactional Relations across 15 Years. Res Dev Disabil. 2015; 36(1):264–276. pmid:25462487
7. Raina P, O’Donnell M, Schwellnus H, Rosenbaum P, King G, Brehaut J, et al. Caregiving process and caregiver burden: Conceptual models to guide research and practice. BMC Pediatr. 2004; 4(1):1. pmid:14723791
8. Olsson MB, Hwang CP. Depression in mothers and fathers of children with intellectual disability. J Intellect Disabil Res. 2001; 45(pt 6):535–543. pmid:11737541
9. Bagner D, Petit J, Lewinsohn P, Seeley J. Effect of Maternal Depression on Child Behavior. A Sensitive Period? J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2010; 49(7):699–707. pmid:20610139
10. Ngo H, Shin J, Nhan N, Yang L. Stigma and restriction on the social life of families of children with intellectual disabilities in Vietnam. Singapore Med J. 2012; 53(7):451–457. pmid:22815013
Add a Comment
© 2026 Created by Rituu B Nanda.
Powered by
You need to be a member of Gender and Evaluation to add comments!
Join Gender and Evaluation