The Toolkit for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings 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:

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

2. The Activity Catalogue for Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings: It 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 psycho-social 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 if CFS modalities vary and/or attendance fluctuates. Activities are generally intended for children from 6 up to 18 years, with some additional resources provided in the annexes for activities targeted to younger children, older children and adolescents.

3. Training for Implementers of Child Friendly Spaces in Humanitarian Settings: This is a three-day training for CFS managers and coordinators that addresses the challenges of setting up and implementing quality CFS in diverse circumstances. Using various case scenarios, participants in the training 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.

4. 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.