Figure 1
Prisma flow chart.
Table 1
CASP appraisal outcome for selected studies.
| AUTHOR, YEAR | STUDY DESIGN | CASP SCORE | PERCENTAGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gatsi, 2014 | Mixed methods | 7/10 | 70% |
| Mwoma et al., 2015 | Mixed methods | 9/10 | 90% |
| Breckenridge et al., 2019 | Qualitative | 7/10 | 70% |
| Ngwenya, 2015 | Qualitative | 8/10 | 80% |
| Nyakundi, 2017 | Qualitative | 6/10 | 60% |
| Martins, 2015 | Qualitative | 9/10 | 90% |
| Mbata, 2012 | Qualitative | 7/10 | 70% |
| Thwala, 2013 | Mixed methods | 7/10 | 70% |
| Mutenheri, 2011 | Qualitative | 8/10 | 80% |
| Chitiyo et al., 2010 | Qualitative | 8/10 | 80% |
| Nyawasha & Chipunza, 2019 | Qualitative | 8/10 | 80% |
| Adejimi et al., 2019 | Qualitative | 8/10 | 80% |
| Sitienei & Pillay, 2019 | Qualitative | 9/10 | 90% |
| Adelekan et al., 2015 | Qualitative | 6/10 | 60% |
| Omwa et al., 2011 | Mixed methods | 8/10 | 80% |
Table 2
Characteristics of included peer reviewed studies.
| AUTHORS AND DESIGN | YEAR | OBJECTIVES | SETTING | PARTICIPANTS AND SAMPLE SIZE | STUDIES KEY CONCLUSIONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Gatsi, mixed methods. | 2014 | To get opinions from a group of Zimbabweans who have received psychological help. | Bindura district, Zimbabwe | Teenage orphans(n = 60) | It was very evident that most support systems prioritize material needs such free food, clothes, and housing. |
| 2. Mwoma et al., mixed methods. | 2015 | To comprehend the difficulties instructors, have in providing psychological support for OVC and the potential intervention techniques that may be used to ease these difficulties. | Soweto, South Africa | Educators (n = 42) and OVC in grade7 (n = 65) | Evidence-supporting findings show that just a little psychological support is given. |
| 3.Breckenridge et al., qualitative research | 2019 | To address the impact of parental death/absence on orphaned children, with emphasis on those who experience parental death/absence due to HIV/ AIDS-related death. | Eastern Cape, South Africa | Orphans(n = 49) | In order to help the orphans’ caregivers, raise the children in a healthy and loving environment that will focus on reattachment difficulties , as well as to offer them access to specialists who can help them with any problems that may occur, NGOs must continue to work with them as the children mature and develop. |
| 4.Ngwenya, qualitative research | 2015 | To investigate the difficulties faced by community-based programs in Mutare, Zimbabwe, for vulnerable children and orphans. | Mutare, Zimbabwe | Volunteers (n = 12) | The results also demonstrate that communities are devoted to the care and support of OVC by providing volunteer services, which the researcher has shown is true based on previous studies. Community-based treatments for OVCs confront problems, but the researcher has also validated this. |
| 5.Nyakundi, qualitative research | 2017 | To investigate orphans’ and vulnerable children’s experiences receiving psychological help and their general wellbeing in Nairobi, Kenya. | Nairobi, Kenya | OVC and teachers (n = 57) | Findings again shown that OVC were vulnerable to a variety of risk situations not only at home owing to environmental and care variables, but also on their trip to and from school, as well as inside ECDE institutions. |
| 6.Martins, qualitative research | 2015 | To investigate the participants’ experiences, beliefs, and issues with psychological assistance, as well as the perspectives of the responders | Khayelitsha, Western Cape | Foster mothers, social workers and administrator (n = 19) | The study’s findings are consistent with current literature that emphasizes the need of psychosocial care for orphaned and vulnerable children. |
| 7.Mbata, Qualitative research | 2012 | To analyze the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a psychological support group intervention for youth afflicted by HIV and their caregivers. To examine the effectiveness of the orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) program in schools. | Kwazulu- Natal, South Africa | OVC coordinators and OVC care givers (n = 13) | The study concludes that OVC programs in schools are not a cure-all for growth. |
| 8.Thwala, mixed methods | 2013 | To investigate how culture affects the psychosocial growth of vulnerable children and orphans | Swaziland | OVC (n = 217) and their teachers (n = 87) | The children’s psychological needs are neglected in favor of the intervention’s emphasis on meeting their physical requirements. |
| 9.Mutenheri, qualitative research | 2011 | To assess the James House program for vulnerable children and orphans | Cape town | OVC (n = 217) | The findings show that the James House program’s Isibindi model of care is a promising strategy for raising OVCs’ quality of life in Hout Bay’s informal settlement. |
| 10. Chitiyo et al., qualitative research | 2010 | To determine if providing psychological support (PSS) to HIV-orphaned children has a positive impact on their academic performance. | Zimbabwe | Publications on orphans and vulnerable children made vulnerable by AIDS (n = 57) | Results indicate that during and after the intervention, the help given to these kids improved their performance in a number of areas, including education. |
| 11. Nyawasha & Chipunza, ,qualitative research | 2019 | To evaluate the various psychological and empowerment programs given to orphans and disadvantaged kids in a Zimbabwean peri- urban area | Peri-Urban district, Zimbabwe | OVC(n = 30) | The findings demonstrate that there have been very few interventions created to address the psychological and empowerment needs of orphans and vulnerable children. |
| 12. Adejimi et al. , qualitative research | 2019 | To highlight the accomplishments and effects of the World Bank-funded HIV Programme Development Project (HPDP) on providing treatment and assistance for OVC in Osun State, Nigeria | Osun State, Nigeria | OVC (n = 12353) | The FGD and KII reported that the project had a significant influence on changing OVCs’ lives. |
| 13. Sitienei & Pillay, Qualitative research | 2019 | Examining the social, psychological, and educational support offered to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) at a community-based organization (CBO) in Soweto, South Africa | Soweto, South Africa | OVC (n = 12) | The study’s findings demonstrate that CBO provided psycho educational and social treatments to OVC. |
| 14. Visser et al. , mixed methods | 2015 | To report the assessment post-programme results of the ISIBINDI model, a community- based intervention to improve the physical and mental health of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in South Africa. | Soweto, South Africa | ISIBINDI ex- participants at 12 sites(n = 427) Nonparticipants (n = 177) | According to the evaluation, the ISIBINDI-model helps produce certain beneficial results that act as a barrier of protection for OVC. The review emphasized the significance of including those older than 18 in order to maintain decreased vulnerability. |
| 15. Adelekan et al., qualitative research | 2015 | To outline the accomplishments of the OVC care and support program in Bayela State, Nigeria, as well as the implications for upcoming programming. | Bayelsta State, Nigeria | OVC(n = 5410) | The care, support, and protection of vulnerable children should not only concentrate on meeting their immediate needs for food, shelter, water, education, and clothing, but also on meeting their long-term developmental requirements that lessen their vulnerability, such as life skills, child protection, career training, food security, and household economic strengthening. |
| 16. Omwa et al., mixed methods | 2011 | To demonstrate how the Northern Ugandan OVC group is under intense strain from a number of reasons. | North Central Uganda | Household heads fostering orphans(n = 20) Orphans(n = 20) | To address the difficulties of serving the demands of OVC, community activities are dynamic and continually changing through a variety of strategies. |
Table 3
Key themes and sub-themes that emerged from thematic content analysis.
| THEMES | SUB-THEMES |
|---|---|
| 1. Psychosocial support |
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| 2. Education and skills training |
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| 3. Protection and legal support |
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| 4. Financial stability for OVC and their families |
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| 5. Food and nutrition support |
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| 6. Access to Health care facilities |
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