Activity book for refugee children from Ukraine. The the MyLifeJourneyBook aims to strengthen the resilience of refugee children from Ukraine. Sharing intense experiences helps to process them and can help prevent trauma to children. With this book, children can write their experiences of the journey, but also their memories of Ukraine and their hopes for the future. The book can be downloaded free of charge.
Education Scotland: Teaching about conflict and war - This resource can be used to provide support to children and young people who may be anxious about what they see or hear in the news. Many of these resources deal specifically with Ukraine.
Welcoming Refugee Children: Advice and Guidance for Schools (Webinar on YouTube) - This webinar from The Bell Foundation looks at working with refugees. Although this workshop was based on Afghanistan, the information is transferrable. Links to further support can be found in the comments on YouTube.
Barnardo's Ireland - Talking to children about war
Barnardo’s have a freephone refugee helpline service. Download the poster with free phone number (attached) or access the dedicated website :
British Red Cross: Ukraine - Support on how to approach global conflicts, like the Ukrainian crisis, with learners.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network - Many refugees, especially children, have experienced trauma related to war or persecution that may affect their mental and physical health long after the events have occurred. These traumatic events may occur while the refugees are in their country of origin, during displacement from their country of origin, or in the resettlement process.
Suggested books about refugees and immigration - Books to explore immigration and refugee experiences with children.
Fife Council: Supporting Discussions about Ukraine - Due to the ongoing situation in Ukraine many children and young people may have a variety of questions or display some anxieties. These resources may be helpful for parents, carers, teachers and school staff in support children and young people at this time.
Save The Children: how to talk to children about war
Voices of children: video storytelling - The stories of children who live next to the war zone.
Trauma and ACEs - podcast
CELCIS - Supporting child refugees and their families - This resource brings together advice, guidance, information and training to help people in Scotland working with and supporting children and families in a professional, voluntary or personal capacity, and across Europe.
Newsround has gathered together its news reports relating to the conflict in Ukraine.
Newsround also has a page of advice if children are upset by what they hear or read in the news.
Speaking with children about the war in Ukraine - Some advice from Schools of Sanctuary, drawing on a variety of articles and resources, to help children navigate the news they’ve been seeing and how they feel about it.
The UNHCR website has a wide range of resources and animations suitable for Primary and Secondary Schools. These explain and explore the terms refugee, migration and asylum generally.
UNHCR Teaching About Refugees 2021 - Stress and Trauma Guidebook - This guidebook describes some of the common behaviours stressed or traumatized children may display and offers some ideas for activities that may help relieve stress or trauma in the classroom.
UNHCR Teaching About Refugees 2021 - Guide for Teachers - Recommended approaches for teaching the subject of forced displacement in primary and secondary schools and use of UNHCR’s Teaching About Refugees teaching materials.
From The News Literacy Project, here are tips to share with learners on how to critically assess news sources.
Ways to speak to children about events in Ukraine (pdf) - Trauma Informed Schools UK has produced resources to help speak to children about events in Ukraine.
World Refugee Day takes place on 20th June each year.
Taken from UNICEF’s Article of The Week, this PowerPoint can be used to introduce World Refugee Day.
Separatedchild.org have some personal stories from refugee children who arrived in the UK unaccompanied.
A comprehensive presentation of advice on talking to children about the war in Ukraine. From Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
What is happening in Ukraine and why? - Background information from First News Education on the war in Ukraine.
Education resources on refugee and asylum issues - Amnesty International’s educational resources on refugees and asylum seekers, accessible and appropriate for primary learners.
Beacon House has freely available resources in English, Ukrainian and Russian so that knowledge about the repair of trauma and adversity is in the hands of those who need it.
Approaching the conflict in Ukraine with learners, produced by Highland One World and ScotDec, is an education resource for teachers in primary and secondary settings to explore fears and develop greater agency to discuss the Ukraine conflict with their learners.