Supporting the inclusion of displaced children from Ukraine in education
Consideration, key principles and practices for school year 2022-2023

manuale europeo

Europe is facing its worst humanitarian catastrophe since World War II.

Thousands of Ukrainian children are being forced to leave their homeland and need help to understand and overcome the trauma caused by such misfortune.

The war in Ukraine and the need to accommodate Ukrainian child migrants in individual national contexts prompted the European Commission to create a Guide for European ministries and agencies to facilitate their inclusion in schools.

This guide was drafted by the Commission, in consultation with:

  • the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
  • the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),
  • representatives of the ministries of education,
  • stakeholder organizations that met in peer learning events between March and June 2022,
  • experts from the Network Working on the Social Dimension of Education and Training (NESET)

and suggested a comprehensive approach to the child, summarized in seven areas:

  • reception and admission,
  • preparation of educational institutions and educational personnel,
  • preparation of inclusive educational systems,
  • identification of inclusive activities to be implemented,
  • involvement of refugee families and communities;
  • Long-term measures to promote inclusive education.
  • Information and financial support for access to early childhood education and care.

In drafting this guide, the European Commission drew on a number of European projects, including ICAMnet, which contributed by developing guidelines, resource packs, and coaching workshops for schools across Europe to help them welcome and include Ukrainian Children.

ICAMnet is a European program created to facilitate the social and emotional well-being (SEL) and inclusion of CAM, i.e., children affected by migration.

The ICAM program is the result of a long collaboration between project partners:

  • ICARO Consortium of Non-profit Social Cooperatives of Italy – Program Coordinator,
  • The Northampton Centre for Learning Behaviour (NCfLB) and Achievement for All (AfA) of the United Kingdom,
  • Accessophia of Spain,
  • Ispectorate in Ploesti (ISJP) and Terre des Hommes (TdH) of Romania,
  • Eurochild of Belgium

and by extensive research on the psychological effects of World War II on displaced children.

Based on this research, an effective methodological strategy, called SEL (Social Emotional Learning), was developed to facilitate the psychological well-being and social inclusion in schools of children affected by migration.

The key word of the Icamnet Program is, in fact, “Convivencia,” a Spanish word meaning ‘Living together in harmony.’

The issues of welcoming and including displaced children from Ukraine has prompted Icamnet partners to create additional materials, collected in ICAMucs, designed to support schools in creating a peaceful school climate in which displaced children are helped to overcome their trauma and recover from the disruption of their lives.

As ICARO Coordinator Vincenzo Griffo says, “This is an important achievement for ICAMnet and a recognition of the commitment of the Icaro Consortium and other European partners in developing and disseminating tools to simplify the education and inclusion of CAM children in schools.”

The inclusion of ICAMucs Ukrainian Children Inclusion in Schools guide in the European guide,” says Icaro President Emeritus Gabriele Capitelli, “will make it easier for European schools to accommodate and manage Ukrainian children affected by the drama of war.

To consult the guide for European ministries and agencies to promote their inclusion in schools,:

European Commission online platform for school education

https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/publications/practical-manual-on-refugees.htm

useful project links

Web page link – https://www.icamproject.eu/urgent-support-for-european-schools-welcoming-ukrainian-child-refugees/

Video link: https://youtu.be/Lx3Zzvy9NZw

link short description https://www.icamproject.eu/welcoming-and-including-refugee-ukrainian-children-in-a-school-community/

 

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