As an effort to provide provisions for foster children of the Special Child Development Institution (LPKA), Universitas Indonesia (UI), through the Community Mental Health Research Group of the Faculty of Psychology (FPsi), conducted a series of activities and training for foster children of LPKA Class II Jakarta. This is an important provision for foster children to adapt to their lives after leaving LPKA.
“What are the main provisions needed by someone to restart their life journey? This question is the core of psychological skills training for foster children of LPKA Class II Jakarta. In the re-entry phase, which is the last stage before the foster child is released, mental health, especially life skills, becomes a vital aspect. Life skills themselves refer to the abilities that a person has to face the challenges of everyday life well,” said Nathanael Elnadus Johanes Sumampouw, M.Psi., M.Sc., Psychologist., supervising lecturer in this training program.
He further explained that with the support of the UI Community Service and Empowerment Directorate (DPPM) grant funding program, this training provides skills that can be directly applied in everyday life. Among them, recognizing self-potential, managing emotions well, and designing a clear life plan.
“The challenge is discussing mental health in special populations, such as foster children in LPKA. They have diverse backgrounds, different from high school students or college students in general. Their education levels are also not all the same. So, for the knowledge delivered to be appropriate, we must dig deeper into their abilities and needs,” said Nathanael.
He added that every foster child has the potential to grow, learn, and actively contribute to society. By providing support and empathy to them, he hopes that the future of foster children can change in a much more positive direction.
On the first day of implementation, foster children are invited to understand who they are through self-exploration activities. They learn to recognize their strengths, weaknesses, and potential. This awareness is an important first step for foster children to build self-confidence, strengthen their sense of responsibility, and open their horizons to opportunities in the future.
Furthermore, activities focus on understanding emotions and managing them. Foster children are trained to recognize the various types of emotions they experience, understand their causes, and find positive ways to regulate and express these emotions. With these skills, they are expected to be able to deal with stress or conflict more effectively, both in the LPKA environment and when they return to society.
On the last day, foster children are invited to make plans for the future. They learn to set realistic goals, plan concrete steps to achieve them, and identify challenges that may be faced. The assistance of facilitators in each small group helps ensure that each plan made is relevant to their needs and abilities, so that it can be a concrete reference in life after LPKA.
After undergoing a series of activities for 3 days which were held on November 11, 12, and 15, 2024, foster children are expected to be able to face the challenges of everyday life adaptively and positively, thereby increasing their psychological resilience. “The interesting thing about this activity is that it is carried out on children who are approaching release. So, the materials obtained can still stick to them, so that when they are released, they have good mental health,” said dr. Indri.
