The mental health impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine is increasingly evident, with many children displaying severe psychological distress, including speech defects, uncontrollable twitching, and nightmares, according to Save the Children. Data collected from the organization’s case management work from January to June 2024 highlights that 43% of children in the areas they serve are suffering from psychosocial issues. These children exhibit signs of anxiety, fear, mood swings, irritability, and difficulty focusing.
Alarmingly, children living in conflict zones near the frontlines, such as Kharkiv, are experiencing extreme stress, with some showing physical signs of trauma. At least five children aged 8 to 16 in Kharkiv have developed grey hair, which their caregivers and doctors attribute to the psychological strain caused by constant aerial attacks.
As the war enters its third year, reports of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are surging. Research suggests that adolescents exposed to war are at heightened risk for depression, with nearly 10 million Ukrainians—1.4 million of whom are children—already suffering or at risk of developing mental health conditions.
This mental health crisis is exacerbated by the war’s disruption of daily life, including education. Around 4 million children have had their schooling severely impacted, with 600,000 unable to access any in-person education. Many children, displaced by violence and attacks, are now living in precarious conditions, often in basements or bomb shelters for long hours, enduring a lack of basic necessities like food, water, and heat. Some have lost one or both parents, while others face the constant trauma of living in a war zone.
The situation is particularly dire for children like Oleksandr, 15, from the Mykolaiv region, who, along with his mother Svitlana, lived in a makeshift shelter for months during the occupation. Svitlana recalls, “We made a ‘safe’ place under the table… terrified, trying to keep the children safe while munitions flew all around us.” Oleksandr expressed how hard it was to focus on school during the occupation, where survival was the only priority. He found some solace in Save the Children’s Digital Learning Centre, which allowed him to engage with others and recover from the trauma of his experiences.
Abeer Jawad, Save the Children’s Case Management Technical Advisor, highlighted the increasing severity of cases they are managing. “We’re seeing children who have witnessed their parents’ deaths, stepped on landmines, or lived in occupied areas,” she said, noting that many families are also struggling financially, adding to the psychological burden on children.
Save the Children has been working in Ukraine since 2014, and their efforts have grown significantly since the war escalated in February 2022. The organization provides direct and partner-based support for vulnerable children, offering financial assistance, health services, mental health care, and legal support. They also operate 28 Child Friendly Spaces and Digital Learning Centres across the country, which serve as vital support networks, providing children with a chance to learn, connect with peers and teachers, and receive psychological care. These centers also play a crucial role in identifying at-risk children and referring them for further help.
The organization stresses the urgent need for expanded mental health and psychosocial support to ensure that children exposed to war can survive and heal from the traumatic effects of the conflict.
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