This week as Ukraine marks the grim anniversary of four years of war and a growing mental health crisis, World Vision New Zealand is funding a digital chatbot to help caregivers support children living through conflict.
Four years of armed combat, bombings, and death have scarred children and nearly 85% of households report psychosocial distress among children, with nearly one-third of under-fives showing visible signs of anxiety and trauma [i]
World Vision New Zealand Acting Head of Fragile and Developing Contexts, Andy Robinson, says the impact of the war on children will last generations.
“Children in Ukraine are growing up feeling unsafe and scared. Many have been separated from their fathers, and many will have witnessed death and violence at close quarters.
“We’re seeing high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. Professional mental health services are limited and families are overwhelmed. World Vision hopes that this digital chatbot will give parents practical ways to support their children’s mental health and wellbeing right now,” he says.
The Parenting in Crisis Chatbot, locally named Batkivska Opora, is a digital tool that provides Ukrainian caregivers with evidence-based guidance on child protection, psychosocial support, and positive parenting amid the ongoing war.
In partnership with Parenting for Lifelong Health, it delivers practical, culturally-adapted guidance via messaging platforms using text, audio, illustrations, and short videos, and provides strategies for stress management, positive parenting, and child protection.
Its flexible, low-bandwidth format ensures access, even in remote or low-connectivity areas.
“This is not a replacement for professional care, but it will help parents who are already struggling with displacement, lost jobs, reduced income, and ongoing security concerns who tell us that they don’t have the resources to support their children effectively,” Robinson says.
A recent World Vision report found that access to protection and mental health services was extremely limited in Ukraine with only 28% of households reporting that they are able to access services from NGOs or UN agencies, leaving 72% without child protection or mental health support at a time of heightened vulnerability.[ii]
The chatbot will initially be trialled with around 500 parents before being scaled-up to reach thousands and complements World Vision’s other work to support children and families in Ukraine.
“Winter intensified the risk facing children. It compounds learning loss, emotional distress, and protection concerns all at once. When power cuts disrupt schooling and displacement interrupts in-person education, children suffer and lose stability. Children and families in Ukraine need extra support in winter – it is a life-saving intervention,” he says.
More than half of families report disruption to their children’s education. A quarter of children are unable to attend school due to unsafe conditions, and a third cannot access online learning because of power outages.[iii]
As Ukraine enters another winter at war, World Vision New Zealand is calling on New Zealanders to help expand support for children and families facing prolonged trauma.
To help support Ukrainian children, visit www.wvnz.org.nz/CHR
Notes:
World Vision New Zealand is a children’s charity working to overcome poverty and injustice so that children can build a brighter future. World Vision works to support the most vulnerable children in more than 100 countries around the world.
World Vision has been working in Ukraine since the war began in 2022 and in that time has supported more than 2.3 million people, including more than one million children. World Vision has provided food, non-food items, cash assistance, protection, education, livelihoods, and mental health support. We operate in 22 of Ukraine’s 24 regions and continue to deliver both immediate relief and long-term recovery programmes.
