266 Feasibility and effectiveness of routine screening for sexual violence against children in schools in refugee settings in Uganda

Abstract OP 7: Parents and Children, B302 (FCSH), September 3, 2025, 15:45 - 16:45 Background Sexual violence against children (SVAC) is pervasive in humanitarian settings, where refugee children face heightened risks of this violence form in its different manifestations. Despite its high prevalence and severe mental health impacts, under-reporting, survivor disclosure, and service access remain major challenges. Routine screening for SVAC has proven to improve survivor detection and linkage to services in development contexts; however, the adaptability of these screening models to humanitarian contexts remains understudied. Aims This study assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of adapting a tested routine screening intervention for SVAC for children/adolescents in Primary 6-7 within two schools in a refugee settlement in Uganda. We examined children’s willingness to participate in screening, screening tool effectiveness, and whether disclosures improved service access. It also explored parental perceptions, school staff engagement, and overall acceptability. Methods Using a mixed-methods design with concurrent triangulation, quantitative data included screening statistics (n = 794), while qualitative data included screeners’ field notes based on students who screened positive (n = 653), and group interviews with various education, health, and gender sector stakeholders (n = 56). Results Results indicate that the screening intervention is feasible and effective, as evidenced by the proportion of: parents willing to have their children included (98%); children willing to be screened (100%); children disclosing SVAC experiences (82%); child survivors who received care following disclosure (100%); and the increase in child survivor identification as a result of the intervention (3650%). In addition, qualitative feedback from child survivors, their parents, and other stakeholders highlighted the acceptability and demand for the intervention within these communities. Conclusions Routine screening for SVAC is feasible and effective in humanitarian contexts and can inform humanitarian prevention and response strategies by strengthening early detection and access to services for child and adolescent survivors of sexual violence in these and other low-resource, high-risk environments.