Useful school resources on talking to children about the Ukraine-Russian war
The Herts for Learning Wellbeing team have put together a list of useful resources on how to talk to children about the Ukraine-Russia war and details of local and national support which you might want to share with your pupils, parents, and carers, as well as staff.
YoungMinds: top tips for talking to your young person about the events in Ukraine (5 minute read)
- Tips for younger children
- Tips for teenagers
Key points from the YoungMinds website:
- try not to shield them
- avoid giving too much detail and listen carefully to their concerns
- explore their feelings
- avoid giving too much detail but be prepared for difficult questions
- be aware of your own feelings
- stick to your usual routine
- reinforce positive actions
- consider limiting their exposure
- help them manage their social feed
BBC Newsround video: Advice if you’re upset by the news
Guardian: Be open, be honest and listen: how to talk to children about Ukraine (5 March 2022)
Save the children: How to talk to children about war
UNICEF: How to talk to your children about conflict and war
Future Learn: Psychological first aid: supporting children and young people - online course
Educational advice
Useful video links
- Newsround have a series of useful videos: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround#more-stories-2
- Newsround: Why has Russia invaded and what’s happening there?
- Newsround: What’s the history between Russia, Ukraine, and the West?
Government advice
The government have put together some advice to help schools with talking to children about the Ukraine/Russian War. The Education Hub blog is designed to avoid misinformation and to enable conversations about concerns children might have and how to address questions.
Support in Hertfordshire and nationally
- To find out about support in Hertfordshire: Hertfordshire County Council: Information regarding Ukraine
- St Albans District Council: The situation in Ukraine
- Association of Ukranians based in Britain (based in Waltham Cross)
Many recognised charitable organisations are establishing aid and humanitarian assistance, seeking public donations of essential items and funds. The Disasters Emergency Committee is one of these, co-ordinating across 15 aid agencies. To support the DEC Ukraine humanitarian appeal
If you would like to find out more about the Homes for Ukraine campaign