Who are we and what do we stand for?

Established by Save the Children Denmark in 2018, the MHPSS Collaborative has rapidly emerged as a leading global force in bridging academic research with practical application, focusing specifically on the mental health and psychosocial support needs of children, young people, and their caregivers. Driven by a multi-disciplinary team that values collective action, integrity, equity, and innovation, the Collaborative emphasizes community expertise in its co-creative approach to knowledge development. This ensures that solutions are inclusive and tailored to the needs of the communities it serves, throughout its interagency engagement across research, innovation, learning and advocacy

The Collaborative’s approach involves convening key actors across sectors and co-creating context-specific research and resources to improve implementation. This facilitates knowledge development and translation, aimed at driving actionable outcomes on the ground. Although research in MHPSS has grown over the past decade, translating this knowledge to real-world applications and policy is often blocked by issues of accessibility as well as limited engagement and dialogue between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. This challenge is further compounded by funding constraints, which limit the scope of interventions tailored to communities in distress. Despite increasing needs, overall Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding for MHPSS for children and families constituted only 0.24% in 2018 and 0.31% in 2019. Additionally, the integration of MHPSS across different sectors faces significant difficulties, hindering the provision of holistic support essential for the overall well-being of children, young people, and their caregivers.

To enhance the effectiveness of MHPSS initiatives, it is vital to adopt community-engaged strategies. This approach includes embracing participatory research, facilitating the translation of knowledge into action on the ground, recognizing local resilience and coping mechanisms, and fostering an empowering healing process within communities. Policies should combine solid evidence with practical insights, emphasizing the importance of actively involving those most affected by adversity. By doing so, MHPSS interventions become more relevant and impactful, closely aligning with the real needs and inherent strengths of challenged communities.