The Family Guidance Center (FGC) was established in 1997 to fulfill the growing needs of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon for basic emotional and educational guidance for children and their families, in addition to specialized preventive and therapeutic services in the area of mental health and child & adolescent development. FGC is currently operating five clinics for assessment, therapy, and rehabilitation in Beirut, El-Buss and Saida (Ta'ameer) in Southern Lebanon, and Beddawi and Nahr El-Bared camp in Northern Lebanon.
The centers provide specialized services for children and adolescents facing specific developmental, behavioral or emotional difficulties, counseling for parents and other caregivers and training for NGOs and teachers.
Each center provides the services of the following professionals:
• Child psychiatrist
• Psychologist
• Speech therapist
• Social worker
• Psycho therapist
• Psycho-motor therapist
The FGCs receive children and adolescents, from birth to the age of 18 and sometimes older. Even though the majority of the clients are Palestinian, the services of the centers are open to beneficiaries from other nationalities referred by the community who need psychological help but cannot afford the costly services provided elsewhere.
The policy of the center emphasizes the importance of the family unit as the most essential support unit for the child. Every effort is made to include the child's primary caregiver in their treatment.
One of the latest projects under the mental health program is "Project Title: Mental Health Care Program” n.OPM/2022/36246",
The project is funded by Chiesa Valdese and is situated in partnership between the National Institution of Social Care and Vocational Training (hereafter referred as NISCVT) with the Un Ponte Per NGO (hereafter referred as UPP).
- Duration of the Project: 6 Months (1th November 2022 until 30st April 2023)
- Total funds committed to the project is: 27,000 EURO
Project General Objective:
- Improve the wellbeing of 250 children, adolescents and their families within the Palestinian refugee population and the most vulnerable groups of other nationalities living in Nahr Bared camp for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and its adjacent area as a basic human right.
Project Specific Objectives:
- To provide a high quality, cost effective, easily accessible, comprehensive and responsive package of prevention, intervention and care programs for 250 children, adolescents and their families.
- To empower 300 individuals and family members in the community reaching through awareness-sessions, campaigns and knowledge-sharing and direct engagement which emphasizes human rights.