Support for Ukraine
As adults, we’ve likely spent a lot of time in recent weeks listening to breaking news about the war in Ukraine and worrying about what it means, what will happen next and how we might be affected.
The internet and social media have meant that, unlike conflicts that our parents and grandparents may remember, we are often confronted with live stories and clips from the conflict. Seeing the impact of the war on the people of Ukraine in this kind of detail gives the news an immediacy that some previous conflicts did not have, making the news feel even more real and relevant to us here in the UK.
It is of course a hugely worrying time. But if it’s a worry for us, how must children be feeling? Many children will be worried about the things they have heard on the news about what has been happening. Even the youngest children can be listening in when we are watching the news on TV, listening to the radio or reading articles online. 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.
For younger children, it is important that you limit the amount of information you relay to them. And, of course, for all children it is important that you reassure them.
There are a few key things to think about when planning your approach:
1.Listen and notice – Exactly what question are they asking you? Do they seem distressed or anxious? What is worrying them most? Are they even mentioning it at all?
2.Don’t say too much – Don’t say more than you need to and keep it simple. Lots of detail is not needed and it could just put more worries into their heads.
3.Reassure – If children are scared, then tell them that it is okay to feel that way. You could reassure them that the fighting countries are very far away and not near us. Tell them that we are very safe here and that people are trying to stop the fighting.
4.Do something practical – Gathering donations in your setting for families in Ukraine might help children feel that they are doing something to help. It also helps to build a sense of social responsibility.
So what are First Steps doing? We are getting practical by joining the share a bear scheme. We will ask parents to bring in a new or used teddy and asking children or parents to write a message on a tag anything with hope and support and attach it to the bear. The bears will then go to refugees in Poland by the Ukraine border or to Ukraine. Each bear will have a logo on and photos of children receiving their new bears can be seen on the Facebook page. We invite you all to join us and support Ukraine.