UNICEF has warned that the devastating floods that swept through parts of Nepal have left thousands of children facing an often less visible consequence of the disaster: severe emotional distress and trauma.
According to UNICEF, an estimated 17,000 children affected by the floods require mental health and psychosocial support, while 541 unaccompanied and separated children remain at heightened risk and require protection services.
UNICEF Representative to Nepal Alice Akunga indicated that, “beyond the visible destruction, these floods have left deep emotional scars on children and families.“
“The floods struck during the school day, shattering children’s sense of safety in an instant. Many children witnessed distressing events and are now struggling with fear, anxiety and grief, with some unable to speak about what they experienced.
“Alongside humanitarian supplies and restoration of critical infrastructure, children need mental health and psychosocial support to help them process what happened, regain a sense of security and begin to recover.”
UNICEF Representative to Nepal
Moreover, Dr. Shitanshu Dhakal, Medical Officer at Trishuli Hospital in Nuwakot and a former UNICEF Youth Advocate for mental health, stated that the psychological consequences of the floods could remain long after the immediate disaster.
“The invisible burden of trauma on flood-affected children and families is deeply distressing. Fear can remain long after the disaster itself. Children must be at the centre of the mental health response, with immediate psychological first aid and sustained support to prevent long-term consequences.”
Dr. Shitanshu Dhakal
Protecting Children Beyond the Immediate Crises
The mental health crisis facing children is unfolding alongside a broader child protection emergency.
UNICEF and government authorities are working with partners to trace families, reunify separated children and provide psychosocial support in communities affected by the floods.
So far, 18 unaccompanied and separated children have been reunited with their families. For children who have lost both parents, authorities and humanitarian partners are arranging alternative family-based care.
The response is also being extended to areas where children may face additional risks during displacement. Community-based protection monitoring teams have been established along key transit and displacement routes to identify vulnerable children, facilitate referrals, and help prevent trafficking, exploitation, and further family separation.
These policies acknowledge that disasters can expose children to risks that go beyond the immediate emergency. Displacement can disrupt family networks and expose children to unfamiliar situations, and psychological anguish might impair their ability to seek assistance or defend themselves.
Children who have major mental health and psychosocial challenges may suffer elevated protection risks due to lower coping capacity, social isolation, stigma, and limited access to appropriate services.
As a result, the humanitarian response is increasingly merging psychological support with child protection systems, rather than considering the two as separate issues.
UNICEF and its partners are scaling up mental health and psychosocial support through Psychological First Aid and counselling services. The aim is not only to respond to immediate distress but also to help children regain a sense of routine, safety and stability.
Eighteen Child-Friendly Spaces have been established, including 13 supported by UNICEF. These spaces provide environments where children can play, learn and begin to recover from the disruption caused by the floods.
The facilities are supported by an integrated network of psychologists, counsellors and frontline workers operating in displacement sites and affected communities.
However, UNICEF is warning that these interventions will require sustained investment if they are to meet the scale of the need.
UNICEF continues to call for increased investment in child protection and mental health services to ensure that children affected by the floods receive the support required to cope with their experiences, recover and rebuild their lives.
The floods have therefore left Nepal facing a recovery challenge that extends well beyond repairing physical damage.
The immediate priority is to ensure that children are safe, reunited with their families where possible and able to access psychological first aid and other support. But the longer-term task will be ensuring that these services remain available after international attention moves away from the disaster.
The scale of the disruption means that recovery cannot be judged solely by the rebuilding of homes, schools and infrastructure. It must also account for the emotional and psychological impact of the disaster.
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