Currently there are different levels of responses to support and services for children and young people affected by HIV. Parents may seek support from within their own networks, such as friends, church or community groups. Because of fears of breaches of confidentiality and experiencing stigma, parents often look for alternative avenues of support for their children from voluntary and statutory agencies. Sometimes the child or young person may seek sources of support, with or without their parents' knowledge.

Some parents decide to tell someone at their child's school about HIV in the family. This can be a source of support for them in case they are unable to participate as actively in school activities as previously.

Schools are often able to provide support for the child or young person. The parent may not yet have told the child, but may feel they should inform the school in case their child exhibits inappropriate or unusual behaviour, such as lack of attention or attention seeking. If the parent has already told the child or young person, they may feel that this will help their child who can talk then to someone else about their feelings.

There is often concern about the impact of knowing about the status of a family member on the child or young person. The school can often provide a link between the family and child–focused support services, such as educational social workers, child guidance clinics, or the school psychological service.

Families often have a strong link with community or hospital based medical staff, who become key sources of support. Hospital social workers, psychologists, play therapists and counsellors can also be accessed via this route.

Other avenues of support often include statutory or voluntary childcare agencies. These offer a wide range of experience and services for helping children with different problems.

One of the difficulties facing many families affected by HIV is the lack of knowledge about the needs of children in adult–focused HIV agencies. The response of some HIV agencies are encouraging with some work and creative partnerships developing between HIV agencies and child care agencies.

As the response of both HIV agencies and child care agencies to HIV and children develop, services are likely to become both HIV-aware and focused on the needs of children.