Abstract:
In this article, we propose a framework for a holistic intervention in support of children with CVD,
consisting of a resilience-enabling intervention for children and a parent guidance intervention
for their parents. As background to the intervention we developed, we obtained baseline data on
the experiences of children with CVD, specifically in terms of the challenges they face on a daily
basis. We followed a mixed methods approach and implemented a collective case study design,
being guided by Participatory Reflection and Action (PRA) principles. Qualitative data were
generated both pre- and post-intervention through PRA-guided sessions and projective
assessment measures with child-participants, semi-structured interviews with their parents, field
notes and reflective journals. Quantitative data were collected both pre- and post-intervention
using the Beck Youth Inventories 2nd Edition with the child-participants. Data were analysed
through reflexive thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Following the implementation of
the intervention, the pre- and post-intervention datasets were compared. Our findings reveal
that children with CVD face various challenges that adversely affect them on various levels of
functioning yet that the holistic intervention we implemented empowered them to address some
of these challenges and voice their needs to others, thereby accessing the support they are
entitled to. The framework for a holistic intervention that we propose in this article offers both
theoretical and practical implications for improving support initiatives with children with CVD. It
can furthermore serve as a model for addressing similar needs of children who experience other
special needs.
