The wellbeing of children and adolescents depends on the systems, environments, and people that surround them.
For children and adolescents, wellbeing is not abstract: it determines whether they are safe, heard, supported, and able to thrive across every stage of life.
Strong, inclusive systems enable children and adolescents to realize their rights and full potential
Child and adolescent wellbeing is the physical, mental and emotional health, safety, learning, and supportive relationships to which every child has the right. However, high levels of poverty, social and financial inequalities, conflict, discrimination, inequitable access to basic services, and emerging challenges, often prevent many children and adolescents from realizing this.
Prioritizing their wellbeing requires systems that both protect and strengthen the environments that shape their everyday lives: families, schools, communities, online spaces, and services. It means recognizing that risks and opportunities change across the life course. There is no single effective solution; responses must be tailored to the realities of children and adolescents and rooted in their voices and lived experience to be sustainable and effective.
Maestral approaches child and adolescent wellbeing through a rights-based, systems lens, grounded in protection, participation, and prevention. We work across policy, practice, and implementation to support governments, partners, businesses, and funders to respond to both long-standing and emerging risks—while strengthening the protective factors that allow children and adolescents to thrive. We connect multiple, complex issues within a broader child protection system strengthening approach.
Prevention and response to violence against children and adolescents, gender-based and online violence
Advancing policies, systems, and services designed to prevent and respond to violence against children and gender-based violence, both in-person and online.
Safeguarding
Strengthening national and international organizations’ capacity to prevent and respond to harm by embedding safeguarding across policies, practices, and systems that prioritize the safety and dignity of children, adolescents, and adults at risk.
Positive Parenting
Promoting positive, non-violent parenting and family support to strengthen relationships, prevent harm, and build strong foundations for children’s and adolescents’ development and wellbeing. Addressing key barriers to positive parenting, including harmful norms, rigid gender roles, and mental health challenges.
Through the Child & Adolescent Wellbeing Thematic Hub, Maestral advances learning, innovation, and collaboration on current and emerging wellbeing challenges and solutions to ensure wellbeing is a lived reality for all children.
Key Resources
Key Maestral Child & Adolescent Wellbeing resources are available below, more sector-wide resources can be found in the Better Care Network resource library, in the GSSWA member resource database, and on UNICEF’s publications page.
- National Review of Parenting Programmes in Moldova through a Gender-Transformative Lens
- Training Handbook on Investigation and Prosecution of Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Kenya
- Parenting Support and Child Protection: Maestral approach and expertise
- Promoting Justice for Children: Advancing Rights, Inclusion, and Accountability
- INSPIRE Trainer Handbook
- Safeguarding Toolbox: For organizations to develop & implement effective, relevant safeguarding policies and practices
- Research brief: Child marriage and early unions in the Caribbean
- Designing Parenting Programs for Violence Prevention: A Guidance Note
- Safeguarding Toolbox: Organizational Safeguarding Risk Assessment
Project Examples
From ending violence against children, to safeguarding and online protection, to child justice, Maestral works across interconnected risks that affect children’s safety and wellbeing. The projects below illustrate how we strengthen systems to prevent harm, reduce risk, and respond effectively.