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This toolkit provides a set of materials to assist managers and facilitators/animators in setting up and implementing quality Child Friendly Spaces (CFS). These resources have at their core the protection of children from harm; the promotion of psychosocial well-being; and the engagement of community and caregiver capacities.

The CFS Toolkit contains:

  • Operational Guidance for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings: The guidance summarises key approaches to the protection of children and the promotion of their psychosocial well-being. It is directed to CFS managers and facilitators/animators. It has four chapters: introduction to CFS, setting up a CFS, information for CFS facilitators/animators and working with caregivers and community members.

  • The Activity Catalogue for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings: The catalogue provides materials for facilitators and animators responsible for implementing activities in a CFS. It features a wide range of easy-to-use resources, including sessions to open, close and review a programme of activities. It has a set of seven themed workshops which relate to key aspects of children’s psychosocial well-being. These resources provide structured activities that can be used in a sequence over a period of time, but are flexible too so that they can be used as standalone sessions. Activities are generally intended for children from 6 to 18 years, with some additional resources provided in the annexes for younger children, older children and adolescents.

  • Training for Implementers of Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings: This three-day training for CFS managers and coordinators addresses the challenges of setting up and implementing quality CFS in diverse circumstances. Using various case scenarios, trainees are exposed to realistic demands and equipped to find practical solutions to challenges faced in the field. The training draws on resources from the Operational Guidance for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings and the Activity Catalogue for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings.

  • Training for Facilitators of Activities for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings: This training manual complements the Training for Implementers of Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings. It provides practical training for facilitators on the Activity Catalogue to support the effective implementation of the structured activities for children in different contexts. Ideally, this should follow on directly from the three-day implementer training.