VietNamNet Bridge – Staff at child welfare centres and shelters in the country need to be better trained about children's psychological development, Nguyen Minh Anh, a psychologist with the HCM City-based National College of Education has said.

The workshop in HCM City was held by the nonprofit Worldwide Orphans Foundation Viet Nam.

Anh said that more psychologists should be hired at these centres to help children develop mentally and physically.

He said the country had enough qualified staff that could be hired, including many university graduates who had majored in psychology at the University of Education, Social Sciences and Humanities University and Van Hien University.

Pham Dinh Giang, head of Ha Noi Social Education and Labour Centre No 2, which takes care of children with HIV/AIDS, said the centre lacked staff with professional training in child development.

To improve their knowledge and skills, the staff attend workshops and conferences, Giang said.

He said the state and NGOs should pour more investment in training and programmes like the Toy Library.

The library is being implemented at the Tam Binh Centre for Children's Nourishment and Protection in HCM City for orphans and children with disabilities.

It has wooden toys that teach children about colour, spatial perception, fine motor coordination and language.

Vu Anh Hoang, head of Mai Tam-Binh Trieu Shelter in Thu Duc District, home to children with HIV/AIDS, said the staff was having problems dealing with children aged 12-18.

Teenagers prefer to talk to their friends, not caretakers, he said.

"They no longer pour out their feelings to us. Now, we cannot understand them," he added.

Dang Thi Hai, who works at the shelter, said that children of this age need career counselling so they can integrate into society.

But she said it was difficult for staff to teach them certain skills because they lacked the necessary expertise.

And the fees to hire experts were unaffordable on their budget, she said.

VNS