Influence of Public Benefit Organizations’ School Based Strategies in Addressing Psychosocial Wellbeing of Neglected Children in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya

The psychosocial well-being of neglected children is a pressing global problem, with research indicating that child neglect is a primary cause of mental health challenges among children. Despite the efforts of Government and Public benefit organisations addressing the problem, neglect and associated mental challenges remain prevalent. There is limited information regarding the influence of strategies employed by these organisations. This study aimed to explore how public benefit organizations influence the psychosocial well-being of neglected children in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya, using a descriptive survey design. This study sort to investigate how public benefit organizations strategies influence psychosocial well-being of neglected children in Tharaka Nithi County Kenya, using descriptive survey design. The theoretical framework includes Bowlby’s attachment theory and Durkheim’s structural functionalism. The target population consisted of 494 children supported by these organizations, with a sample size of 248 children and 34 staff members selected for data collection. The study utilised Standardized starling’s Children Well-being Scale and the WHO-5 well-being Index, ensuring the tools reliability through pilot testing. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 27, employing various statistical tests, including Cronbach’s(α) to test level of consistency. Mann-Whitney U test for difference across age groups, Kaiser-Meyer Olkin measure of adequacy, Kruskal-Wallis H test for differences in scores, and analysis of measures of central tendency. Results indicated significant variations in wellbeing score across six age groups, highlighting age as a crucial factor in psychosocial health. The findings revealed that school-based strategies employed by public benefit organizations positively impact the psychosocial well-being of neglected children. This underscores the need for targeted, age-appropriate interventions in counseling psychology. The study advocates for policy changes prioritizing mental health resources for neglected children and emphasizes the importance of collaboration among stakeholders. Ethical guidelines were strictly adhered to during the research process. Overall, the study concludes that public benefit organizations play a vital role in supporting the psychosocial well-being of neglected children in Tharaka Nithi County.