Exploring the challenges of meeting child mental health needs through community engagement in Kenya

Background: Despite growing evidence on the extent of child mental health problems in low-middle-income countries, the gap between need and provision remains high. Previous research in high income countries has demonstrated that evidence-based interventions can be scaled-up through community consultation, particularly by engaging key stakeholders.

Aims: This study aimed to explore community stakeholders' views on children's mental health needs and culturally acceptable interventions in Kenya, to ascertain how to integrate global service standards with culturally-specific expectations.

Methods: Focus groups were conducted with community stakeholders (seven young people 14-17 years, seven parents, nine teachers and 11 other professionals). These participants were recruited from an urban community of internally displaced and disadvantaged families in Nakuru.

Results: Results indicated that Kenya faced similar challenges in meeting mental health needs as in other countries, including economic constraints, limited knowledge, stigma and systemic issues, but that these were manifested in culturally specific ways that were linked to societal and professional's attitudes and local context.

Conclusions: Stakeholders' views are important in informing the planning, delivery and evaluation of interventions. However, for such interventions to be sustained, a clear therapeutic framework, evidence-base and sociocultural adaptation are likely to be important factors.