Kids to Care model
Kids to Care model
Aidsfonds works in collaboration with governments and local partners, to test and scale up community-based HIV programmes. These are based on the Kids to Care model that is part of our Paediatric HIV approach to ensure children can live healthily with HIV. This model:
- empowers communities to find and support children and pregnant women living with HIV
- strengthens the links between communities and health facilities
Community health workers play a central role in the model and are a crucial link at all four stages of HIV care for children: find, test, start and stay.
Watch the introduction video of the model
How community health workers have a crucial role in the model
To ensure children can live healthily with HIV and pregnant women can give birth to HIV-free babies, it is essential they get support in all four stages of HIV care: find, test, start and stay. A high number of children with HIV or pregnant mothers are still not accessing health services. They remain undiagnosed because they are simply not known in the health system. When diagnosed with HIV, they are lost in the treatment cascade, either before or after being enrolled into care and having started treatment. Community health workers are the linking pin between the child and its caregivers or the pregnant woman, the health facilities, community key members, and local government. They are crucial in each stage of HIV care to ensure children get the care they need.
Find
Communities know their children. Community health workers educate community members on paediatric HIV and move door-to-door to find children and pregnant women living with HIV.
Test
Community health workers are trained about paediatric HIV testing and treatment, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission. They test pregnant women and children in their homes or refer them for testing in the
community or health facility.
Start
Community health workers help caregivers gain access to HIV treatment for children. Traditional and religious leaders, teachers and mentor mothers act as role models and encourage access to care. Staff at health facilities are trained to offer childfriendly services and to work closely with community health workers.
Stay
Community health workers support children to stay on HIV treatment. They promote treatment support groups for caregivers and children, and income-generating activities and savings groups for caregivers.
