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Lessons learned from a decades-long civil war could help counter the long-lasting mental health impacts on Ukrainian children exposed to air strikes, bombing, and other war violence, a child trauma specialist says.
Key points:
- At least one-in-five refugees is at risk of developing metal health disorders, with children being particularly vulnerable
- Three million Ukrainian children have already been displaced by the war after Russia invaded in February
- Experts warn that, while most children are resilient, some will need dedicated support
"These are the adults and the society of the future," says Eva Alisic, an associate professor of child trauma and recovery at the University of Melbourne.
In Syria — a nation pummelled by a decades-long civil war — one study indicated that 88 per cent of the population had experienced at least one symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), highlighting the dire need for consistent mental health support in conflict zones.
"That's what we can learn from previous crises … we need a long-term vision and long-term support for these people, rather than this initial rush and then not being there anymore, which is really detrimental," Dr Alisic says.
Nearly a quarter of conflict-affected individuals are at risk of developing some form of mental health disorder. In the context of the war in Ukraine, that would equate to a growing number of more than 4.5 million people, 1.5 million of whom are children, according to a new report from World Vision, an international humanitarian organisation working in Ukraine.
While not affiliated with the World Vision report, Dr Alisic says that the war in Ukraine offers an opportunity to apply lessons learned from previous conflict responses, and to provide more lasting support for those who need it.
"One of the things that always worries me is that there is this initial interest in supporting people — and there's a lot of media attention and a real outcry — and then, after a few years, it's not news anymore, but the people are still dealing with these incredible challenges."
In the coming decades, a large percentage of Ukraine's adult workforce may struggle with some form of emotional or mental disorder catalysed by childhood trauma that is occurring now, as millions of children are among those fleeing the devastating conflict.
Not only is providing support for mental health an important humanitarian imperative, the World Vision report argues, but it's also a sound investment, with $1 of mental health support projected to return $4 in improved, long-term health and productivity.
The World Economic Forum estimates the global financial impact of mental health disorders could amount to more than $23 trillion over the next 20 years.
For Ukraine, a country already set to dig out from the social and economic damage of the Russian invasion, an investment of $50 per person in mental health now could save billions later.
Investing in the future of Ukraine
Functionally, that investment in mental health and providing the supports necessary can be challenging, as conflict inherently displaces those populations most in need.
While not on the ground herself, Dr Alisic says this requires a network of cooperation between organisations and governments across Ukraine and its neighbouring countries to get supports to those who need them.
"Partly there is a response on the ground with humanitarian organisations, partly it is in countries where people are currently seeking refuge, and there are lots of initiatives to support and provide those basics — shelter and food — as well as more social and mental health support," says Dr Alisic.
According to the World Vision report, children are particularly vulnerable to the accumulation of a variety of stresses inherent to life as a refugee: They may have witnessed or experienced atrocities in their home country, faced separation from family as they fled and, even on arrival in safer locations, contended with the difficulties of settling into an unfamiliar environment.
Three million Ukrainian children have already faced this "triple blow of conflict", the report says, and — despite trying to resume their lives in neighbouring nations — they still fear the threat of air strikes and bombings.
In May, the G7's financial leaders pledged $27 billion to continue to support Ukraine's stability as it battled the Russian invasion.
The US Congress, alone, has approved $79.6 billion in aid to Ukraine to date, with $38 billion of that being spent solely on military aid.
"We're helping with the physical needs of kids, but we also have to be there for their mental needs," says World Vision Australia chief executive Daniel Wordsworth, speaking to ABC's News Breakfast.
"When you get into conflicts like this, you're seeing so many dreadful things happen, and you think the urgent things — kids need to be in shelters, they need to have enough food — and those things are certainly true. But we can't forget the impact of this sort of mental health crisis that is emerging, and we have to act at the same time."
World Vision is optimistic about the future of their work in the current conflict, reporting that the Humanitarian Response Plan for Ukraine is already 61 per cent funded, in steep contrast to just 20 per cent funding across all global humanitarian crises.
The only definitive answer to addressing the threats to children's mental wellbeing, the World Vision report concludes, is for the conflict to end. In the meantime, Mr Wordsworth says, his organisation will continue to do whatever it can to support Ukrainian children.
"Wherever we're finding kids, whether it's in Romania, whether it's on the move in Ukraine, or whether it's locked in place in a place like Kyiv, we try to create these bubbles where kids can be safe."
ABC