The Psychological Impact of War on Ukraine’s Children and Families
- Matthew Parish
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, millions of Ukrainian children and their families have been exposed to prolonged violence, displacement, and chronic uncertainty. This experience has inflicted deep psychological wounds across the population, particularly among the most vulnerable: the young, the displaced, the bereaved and the isolated. While the Ukrainian people have shown remarkable resilience, the long-term psychological toll is substantial and will require sustained attention for decades.
Children in the Crossfire: Trauma and Displacement
By mid-2024 over 1.5 million Ukrainian children had been displaced within the country, while hundreds of thousands more had sought refuge abroad. Many were uprooted from familiar environments, separated from caregivers, and forced to adapt to entirely new cultural and linguistic settings. According to UNICEF, nearly every child in Ukraine has had their life disrupted by the war.
Exposure to bombing, the death or injury of loved ones and the destruction of homes and schools are among the most profound traumas experienced. Children under such stress often display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, nightmares, regression and emotional numbness. For some, these manifest as hyper-vigilance and aggression; for others, withdrawal and dissociation. The situation is even more dire for those in Russian-occupied areas or among the thousands of children forcibly deported to Russia, a practice documented by international bodies as a potential war crime.
Family Disintegration and Parental Distress
The psychological strain is not limited to children. Families have been torn apart: fathers conscripted or killed, mothers overwhelmed by the dual burdens of caregiving and survival, and grandparents left to raise traumatised children alone. Many households are led by women under intense financial and emotional stress. Parents face immense pressure to remain composed for their children while themselves being immersed in grief, fear, and fatigue.
In this context, intergenerational trauma becomes a serious concern. The anxiety and psychological collapse of parents or caregivers, if left unaddressed, may impair the emotional development of children, leading to a cycle of trauma that endures beyond the war’s end.
Education Interrupted: A Silent Casualty
The psychological trauma is compounded by the destruction and closure of educational institutions. Thousands of schools have been damaged or destroyed, and millions of children have had to adapt to online or makeshift schooling environments. Education is not merely academic—it provides a crucial structure, a sense of normalcy, and a social support network for young people.
Without it, the war erodes not only children’s futures but also their psychological stability. A lack of peer interaction, decreased access to school psychologists, and constant displacement contribute to the risk of developmental delays, social anxiety and depression.
Coping Mechanisms and Resilience
Despite the profound challenges, many Ukrainian families and children have displayed extraordinary resilience. Cultural traditions, strong family bonds, community support and faith have all played a role in coping. Children have drawn strength from patriotic narratives, volunteerism and the presence of trusted adults—teachers, aid workers, and psychologists.
Art therapy, storytelling, play and structured daily routines have been employed as therapeutic tools in camps and shelters. Organisations such as Save the Children, War Child, and Ukrainian NGOs like Voices of Children have provided psychological first aid, mobile therapy sessions and long-term support in both Ukraine and the diaspora.
Institutional and International Response
The Ukrainian government, in partnership with international bodies, has taken steps to address the mental health crisis. The Ministry of Health has expanded mental health services with WHO support, and thousands of professionals are being trained in trauma-informed care. Yet the scale of need outstrips resources.
The World Bank estimates that over 15 million Ukrainians will require mental health services in the coming decade. The Ukrainian health system, already strained, must contend not only with war injuries but also with the invisible scars of trauma.
The Road Ahead: Healing and Rebuilding
Rebuilding Ukraine will require more than bricks and mortar. A national trauma of this magnitude demands a long-term psychological recovery strategy. This means integrating mental health into schools, rebuilding trust in institutions and creating safe spaces for children and families to process grief, fear and anger.
Just as Ukraine’s infrastructure will take years to restore, so too will the emotional landscape of a generation that grew up under the shadow of war. Yet with investment, compassion and a trauma-informed approach, healing is possible. The resilience seen in Ukraine’s children is not the absence of suffering—it is the determination to survive and one day thrive, despite it.
Conclusion
The war in Ukraine has inflicted deep psychological wounds on Ukraine's youngest citizens and their families. The impact will be felt for years, perhaps generations. Yet within this trauma lies the potential for transformation: to build a society that not only recovers from war but learns to prioritise mental health, safeguard Ukraine's children, and create enduring systems of support and resilience.
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Reading List: The Psychological Impact of War on Ukrainian Children and Families
Academic and Policy Literature
Betancourt, T. S., & Khan, K. T. (2008).
The mental health of children affected by armed conflict: Protective processes and pathways to resilience.
International Review of Psychiatry, 20(3), 317–328.
[Useful framework for understanding trauma in war-affected youth.]
Tol, W. A., et al. (2013).
Mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings: linking practice and research.
The Lancet, 378(9802), 1581–1591.
[Widely cited for mental health interventions in emergencies.]
Petrenko, V., & Kononenko, N. (2023).
Trauma and resilience among internally displaced children in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Journal of Social Psychology, 28(2).
[Empirical data from IDPs in eastern Ukraine.]
Save the Children (2022–2024)
A Heavy Toll: The Impact of War on Children in Ukraine
[Available at: www.savethechildren.net]
[Documenting psychosocial stressors and coping strategies.]
Voices of Children Foundation Reports (2022–2024)
[In-depth case studies on mental health support inside Ukraine.]
UNICEF Ukraine (2022)
The Impact of the War on Children in Ukraine: Initial Findings
[https://www.unicef.org/ukraine/en/reports]
[Includes psychosocial impact assessments and intervention models.]
World Health Organization Ukraine (2023)
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Needs Assessment for Ukraine
[https://www.who.int/europe/ukraine]
[Critical overview of national mental health capacity.]
International Organization for Migration (IOM) (2024)
Mental Health of Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine: Challenges and Opportunities
[Surveys and data on displacement and psychological well-being.]
