The impact of the conflict on children’s mental health and wellbeing is profound. Based on a Save the Children survey of 1,250 children, parents and other caregivers conducted in 2020:
- more than half of children said they struggle with feelings of sadness and depression
- more than one in ten said they feel that way constantly
- one in five children said they are always afraid and always grieving.
Prolonged exposure to extreme stress risks undermining the developmental potential of an entire generation of children and adolescents.
However, if the right mental health and psychosocial support is provided, the long-term impact on children’s emotional, behavioural, cognitive and physical development can be mitigated and they stand a chance to recover from their experiences.
Similarly, our case management services provide a critical mechanism through which children are able to access the critical child protection services they desperately need. In 2020 alone, we provided case management support to 316 survivors of grave violations.
Without an urgent increase in funding in the next two months, we’re in real danger of having to close case management, mental health and psychosocial support, and child protection services in some of areas where the needs are greatest. This risks putting 15,400 children at immediate risk of not being able to access critical child protection services. Massive gaps for child protection have already seen Save the Children’s case management reduce by almost 50% to $2.5 million, down from $4.6 million in 2020.
Source: Save The Children
