Since 2022, a full-scale war has been going on in Ukraine. Children grow up under air raids, see death and destruction, lose their homes and loved ones. A flexible child's psyche is able to overcome these experiences if adults provide professional help in time. The Child Well-being Fund Ukraine trains teachers to conduct a mental health support programme, which helps preschoolers to overcome the traumatic consequences of war. We strive to make this program available to children all over Ukraine.
As a result of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, about 1.5 million children under 6 y.o., are growing up in extreme conditions. They can suffer from anxiety disorders, PTSD, depressive episodes. In the future, this increases their risk of developing physical, psychological and social maladjustment, as well as behavioral disorders. Preschoolers are not covered by existing mental health support programs due to the lack of evidence-based methods and a critical shortage of trained professionals.
"Healing Forest" is an evidence-based cycle of mental health support sessions for children 4-7 y.o., led by educators trained as facilitators. It's easily integrated into kindergarten curricula without high costs. Since 2023, we've trained over 400 facilitators, reaching 3,917 children. Participants showed reduced anxiety, used simple stress-management strategies like breathing exercises and calming phrase, and became more open, playful, and better at connecting with peers.
Children in "Healing Forest" sessions strengthen their resilience and stabilize their mental state, improving their daily lives. In the long term, children who complete the program have a lower risk of behavioral and social problems, violence, and substance abuse. They can care for themselves and promote mental health in their environment. Trained facilitators can continue this work in their institutions, making support available to children across Ukraine.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
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