With the escalating conflict in Ukraine, the BPS has provided advice and guidance on how best to support children who are anxious about the current situation.
Supporting Children, Young People, Schools & Practitioners with War and Conflict
Supporting Children, Young People, Schools & Practitioners with War and ConflictSomerset County Council is committed to ensuring that all individuals coming to Somerset receive the right support at the right time.
This is vital for those families fleeing war and conflict and it is important that as a local area, we are understanding of the needs that refugees have and how we can best support them.
This page provides a training video aimed at education staff and helpful information and approaches for any setting who will be supporting refugees.
Local: Somerset Support for Ukraine
Latest national and local advice and information
Somerset has a proud record of welcoming refugees and we are united in support for the people of Ukraine
CHARIS, in association with Somerset County Council, is establishing Welcome Hubs for refugees, asylum seekers and their sponsors across Somerset.
Welcome Hubs — CHARIS refugees
We know that refugees can thrive in our schools, despite the challenges faced. Schools can provide structure, consistent and reliable relationships, opportunities to play, develop and to achieve and develop self-worth.
The training below includes the following content, alongside a wide range of links to other resources and information:
- What is a refugee?
- Refugees and trauma
- Key challenges for refugees
- Language needs and support
- Supporting inclusion and sense of belonging at school
- Top tips
Supporting Refugees and Children and Young People Fleeing War and Conflict Apr22 1.mp4
SSE shares a wealth of resources for schools and practitioners to use in welcoming and supporting Ukranian children, young people and families into their schools community - Ukrainian language support | Support Services for Education
SSE - Talking to Children and Young People about War and Conflict | Support Services for Education
When refugees arrive in Somerset, we want to help provide a safe, hopeful and productive future for them.
There are certain free workshops and courses that we offer, to assist refugees to settle in to life in the UK, help counteract the upheaval they’re experiencing and give them tools to rebuild their lives. Whether it’s English lessons, health and wellbeing, employment skills or qualifications, we’re ready to help.
Offering refugees a helping hand... - Somerset Skills & Learning: SS&L (sslcourses.co.uk)
National Resources
Helping Ukrainian students in schools and colleges
Guidance and resources to help education staff support Ukrainian pupils.
This information provides schools and colleges with links to further information and resources to support their Ukrainian pupils and students.
This information is for:
- school and college leaders
- school and college staff
- governing bodies in all maintained schools, FE colleges, academies and free schools
Helping Ukrainian students in schools and colleges - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
International Rescue Committee - Helping Children to Thrive in times of Crisis
Healing Classrooms
The IRC’s Healing Classrooms approach—built on 40 years of education in emergencies experience and a decade of research and field testing—offers children a safe and predictable place to learn and cope with the consequences of conflict and displacement.
The Healing Classrooms programme was launched in the UK in May 2022. We offer free teacher training through a series of online training sessions and in-person workshops.
Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of displaced Ukrainians and Afghans
Across Somerset there are many people and organisations who are working hard to support those affected by the Ukraine and Afghan crises, particularly in helping displaced people settle into new lives in the UK. To help the response, Thrive LDN and London’s health and care partners have put together some helpful resources and online training offers for volunteers and professionals.
Free training on trauma informed practice in humanitarian crisis - Thrive LDN is partnering with Nicola Lester Psychological Trauma Consultancy to deliver training in trauma informed practice in humanitarian crisis. Beginning in May. The free webinars are aimed for professionals and volunteers in community and grassroots organisations who are supporting the response. The training programme offers workshops at three levels: foundation, intermediate and advanced.
Supporting refugees with their mental health – a training video
Thrive LDN and the Refugee Council have developed a short video for volunteers and professionals on engaging with refugees and asylum seekers, particularly in relation to supporting mental health and wellbeing.
The City of York (CYC) Educational Psychology Service has developed some resources suitable for all schools and settings supporting refugees who have arrived as a result of the war in Ukraine.
The resource bank includes:
- An e-module produced for schools and settings. This can be shared at a staff meeting, is fully narrated (with notes) and takes about 45 mins.
- A booklist, signposting to dual language Ukrainian-English books that can be purchased in the UK
- A mind map with some considerations for supporting refugees and asylum seekers
- A series of leaflets that can be shared with young people and adults. When sharing these leaflets, consideration should be given to how the information included in the leaflet might be received, and you should ensure that you stay with the young person/adult whilst they are reading the leaflet so that you can provide support if required. The leaflets are available in both English and Ukrainian.
UNICEF
When conflict or war makes the headlines, it can cause feelings such as fear, sadness, anger and anxiety wherever you live.
Children always look to their parents for a sense of safety and security – even more so in times of crisis.
Here are some tips on how to approach the conversation with your child and to provide them with support and comfort.
How to talk to your children about conflict and war | UNICEF Parenting
Social media, news and conversations between adults mean that children around the world – not just those close to or directly affected – are also very aware of the crisis. Many are frightened and don't know what to expect. Here you can find five tips for talking to children and young people about war.
How to talk to children about war | Save the Children UK
Children and War responding to the Ukraine crisis
Children and War Foundation has been working in Ukraine since 2014.
The Children and War Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving children’s lives after wars and disasters. The Foundation has developed interventions which enable large groups of children to be reached after wars and disasters, and children at high risk to be identified quickly after a traumatic event.
When war or conflict is in the news, it can cause feelings such as fear, sadness and anxiety for children, young people and adults. Place2Be’s Educational Psychologists share their advice on how to talk to children and young people about war and conflict, and support them if they’re struggling with the news.
Talking to children and young people about war and conflict | Place2Be
Conflict of any kind can affect children and family’s emotional health and wellbeing. For some children, they may already be discussing the conflict in Ukraine with friends or asking questions at home and in school, seeking reassurance and understanding.
Talking to your children about scary world news | Mental Health Foundation
Our Parents Helpline experts share their tips for talking to your young person about the conflict in Ukraine, and difficult news stories more generally.
How To Talk To Your Child About The War In Ukraine | YoungMinds
British Psychological Society
Supporting children to manage anxiety over war, conflict and crises
Supporting children to manage anxiety over war, conflict and crises | BPS
Early Years
Little ears listening
Hearing parents, siblings, other children at nursery or someone on the TV talking about war, seeing images of houses being bombed or seeing people hurt can distress and worry children, no matter their age.
How to talk to children about war | early years alliance (eyalliance.org.uk)
How to talk to children about war
War is a difficult concept for young children to understand and it can be hard to know if and how we should discuss war with them.
How to talk to young children about war | Early Years Management | Teach Early Years
With news of the war in Ukraine dominating headlines, social media platforms and conversations across the country, many children in early learning and care and school age childcare settings will have been exposed to information about the conflict. This information provides some strategies for talking to children, helping to ease their concerns.
Taking care of ourselves
The Somerset Emotional Wellbeing Podcast
As part of the staff wellbeing initiative a weekly podcast is streamed covering a wide range of wellbeing topics. For recent and back issues use the link here Podcast | The Somerset Emotional Wellbeing Podcast (castos.com)
Staff Wellbeing & Development
As part of the Somerset Wellbeing Framework, you can access a range of information and support resources
