Building research collaboration for child mental health in East Africa: Implementation and health system research

The ATTACH consortium is applying for the Globvac RCN funds: support for event, deadline 12 Feb 2014. We are a newly establish network of researchers in existing partnerships from Tanzania, Uganda and Norway. We represent new links between Norwegian and A frican institutions. We will do child mental health research: both implementation and health system research. We will build on existing pilots and projects, the ICDP and Marte Meo projects ongoing in Mbulu District in Manyara Region of Tanzania, and healt h system and child development studies ongoing in Uganda. We are targeting systems and caregivers. The focus is on family and caregiver-children dyads at risk. We represent many disciplines and will benefit from the use of a holistic, multidisciplinary ap proach. We are building upon existing attachment theory and participatory approaches. We acknowledge the vast need for context relevant appropriate assessment tools in mental health for children. Our work is in accordance with existing WHO initiatives and recommendations on global mental health (http://www.who.int/mental_health/action_plan_2013/en/). Current mental child health research and methodologies from LIMC are scarce. Our overarching aim is to contribute with research bridging this gap. We plan an event in Moshi, Tanzania, November 2014 as a step in this direction.