Children Affected by Armed Conflict and Displacement

Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of war, and frequently represent at least half of the population in a conflict area. They suffer fear and insecurity, and disruption to every aspect of their lives. Children who have been displaced are at an increased risk of sexual and physical violence, disease and malnutrition, and separation from family members. As displaced persons or refugees they may experience severe poverty, abuse, exploitation, and psychosocial distress.

Children without parental care in conflict areas are highly vulnerable to abduction or other forms of recruitment by armed forces and groups. Such children may be used to fight, provide labour or be sexually exploited. Involvement in conflict may result in malnutrition, abuse, addiction to drugs, injury, psychosocial distress or death. While children associated with armed forces and groups make up a small minority of the total number of children affected by war, they are extremely vulnerable and in need of particular protection and care.

Opportunities to help children who have been associated with fighting forces may begin with their escape, capture or formal demobilization. Some may be able immediately to reunite with family members, but others may need interim care during tracing. While children may be readily accepted by their family and community, others risk rejection. Family mediation and community sensitization is needed to support family reunification and community integration. Ongoing monitoring, family support services, and placement planning is necessary where children are not reunited with one or both parents or where family and community acceptance is uncertain.

Community action to protect and support war affected children should be inclusive and not limited to children formally associated with armed forces or any one group of children. National efforts should focus on the reestablishment of essential services, particularly in the areas of security, health and education.

While this section contains resources relevant for all children in conflict affected areas, it focuses on children without parental care, including refugees and displaced children, and children associated with armed forces and groups. It includes information on demobilisation, family reunification and community reintegration.

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Female Migration and Stay-Behind Children in Bangladesh

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This paper examines South-South migration by investigating the stay-behind families of female migrants in Bangladesh with a focus on their unaccompanied children.

Protect Children in Sudan’s Child Care Institutions During Crises

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The Transform Africa Alliance, with representation from Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Madagascar and Mozambique, calls upon the Sudanese Government, humanitarian actors and the international community to work together to map out the whereabouts and needs of all children living in institutions across Sudan and provide them with vital humanitarian assistance.

Webinar #14 - Foster Care for Children on the Move: The Gambia Experience

Transforming Children's Care Collaborative, 21 Jun 2023

The objective of this webinar was to present the best practices learnt in the implementation of the foster care system as an alternative to limited child care institutions for children on the move in The Gambia.

Ukraine Recovery Conference 2023 - Session Recordings

Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2023), 21 Jun 2023

The Ukraine Recovery Conference 2023 focussed on action to help Ukraine build back better, greener and as a more resilient and prosperous European nation. In particular, URC 2023 aimed to generate greater momentum on the role of the private sector – and the reforms required to drive investment – as essential elements for Ukraine’s long-term recovery.

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Critical Social Work and Unaccompanied Refugee Minors’ Social Inclusion: An Example of Critical Best Practice

Aikaterini Oikonomou, Agapi Kandylaki, 15 Jun 2023

This article presents an example of critical best social work practice with unaccompanied minor asylum seekers. Based on a critical perspective, it focuses on social and community work interventions in the first reception centre, established in Greece, before the huge influx of refugees in 2015, aiming to support, empower and achieve social integration of the hosted youths.

Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 456 On the temporary relocation (evacuation) of children and persons living or enrolled in institutions of various types, forms of ownership and subordination for a 24-hour stay, and their return

Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, 01 Jun 2023

This Procedure determines the mechanism of safety of the children and persons living or enlisted on the round-the-clock stay in organizations of different types, patterns of ownership and subordination (further - children and persons), during warlike situation by acceptance in case of need died to their temporary movement (evacuation), ensuring placement, proper leaving, education, and also return in the place of their permanent residence (stay), and in case of departure out of limits of Ukraine - to Ukraine.

UK Social Work and the War in Ukraine: A BASW Briefing on Context, Ethics and Practice Under the Visa Schemes for Ukrainians

BASW, 01 May 2023

The focus of this document is to support, inform and empower social workers across the UK in their ongoing practice and consideration of issues that arise in relation to people arriving and staying under the UK Ukraine visa schemes.

Children’s Identity Rights in Ukraine – Russian Invasion

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Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, CHIP President, discusses the measures in place to ensure that the many children that crossed the Polish/Ukraine border alone travelled with identity documents that would allow them to access child protection measures as they proceed on their journey.

Learning Event: Strengthening the Social Service Workforce as Part of the Recovery Process to Support a Transformed Care and Protection System for Children in Ukraine

Better Care Network and Global Social Service Workforce Alliance, 26 Apr 2023

On 26 April 2023, the Better Care Network (BCN) and the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance (GSSWA) organized an event under the auspices of the Ukraine Children’s Care Group with child protection and care actors focused on strengthening the social service workforce as part of the recovery process in Ukraine to support a transformed care and protection system for children. The event brought actors practitioners, technical advisors, policymakers and donors together to better understand the impact of the conflict on the existing social service workforce, and to identify concrete recommendations for strengthening and reforming it as part of the recovery process to support a transformed care and protection system for children in Ukraine.

Strengthening the Social Service Workforce as Part of the Recovery Process to Support a Transformed Care and Protection System for Children in Ukraine

Better Care Network and the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance, 26 Apr 2023

On 26 April 2023, the Better Care Network (BCN) and the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance (GSSWA) organized an event under the auspices of the Ukraine Children