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Street Child began its first emergency response in Europe on February 25, 2022, one day after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As attacks have continued, millions of children and families in Ukraine have been forced to leave their homes. As of the end of 2024, almost 7 million refugees from Ukraine recorded globally, with around 92% of them in Europe and 3.6 million people internally displaced. An estimated 14.6 million people across the country are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2025.
With the ongoing conflict, children in Ukraine face significant risks to their well-being and futures. An estimated 1.5 million children are at risk of serious mental health conditions like PTSD and depression. Education has been severely disrupted due to damaged infrastructure, displacement, and emotional strain. In frontline and rural areas, children face major barriers to learning, with many still relying on remote education. In high-risk areas near the front line and along the border with Russia, up to 70% of children in the east and 30% in the south still rely on remote learning. Displaced children are three times more likely to attend school online than those who remain in their home communities.
STREET CHILD'S RESPONSE IN UKRAINE IN NUMBERS
94,438
Children reached through our programmes.
81,728
Conflict-affected children provided with mental health and psychosocial support.
23,809
Adults have been reached through training schemes or mental health support.
In emergencies, education is more than a right—it’s a lifeline that offers children stability, hope, and resilience amid crisis. Working alongside national and local partners, Street Child equips schools with safe learning spaces including bomb shelters, rehabilitate schools damaged by the conflict, develop digital learning tools to help children recover lost learning, and strengthen teachers’ capacity through online training and resources. We also train teachers on emergency-relevant topics like trauma-informed and conflict-sensitive teaching, mental health support, and child protection, while promoting the inclusion of children with disabilities through accessible and individualised learning support.
Children in Ukraine are facing the devastating effects of conflict, including displacement, trauma, and heightened risks of violence and exploitation. In response, Street Child’s protection programmes focus on safeguarding children’s safety, dignity, and emotional well-being, offering the support they need to heal and thrive. We create safe spaces where children can play, learn, and receive support, and we send mobile teams to reach those in hard-to-access areas. We also provide one-on-one support for vulnerable children, including those with disabilities, and offer mental health services like counselling and psychological first aid. To improve care, we train staff and social workers in child protection and support for families.
Our protection programmes have reached over 13,200 children and 4,850 parents and caregivers, helping them access the support they need to cope with the impact of war.
Real, lasting change happens when local people lead the way. That’s why supporting local organisations is at the heart of everything we do. In a complex and fast-changing situation like Ukraine, local groups are often the first to respond. Our role is to support and strengthen their efforts so they can make an even bigger impact in their communities.
Since 2022, our localisation programmes have supported 69 local community and civil society organisations with training and guidance in areas like financial management, running projects, child protection, and building stronger organisations. We use hands-on, peer-to-peer learning that responds to changing needs. Whether it’s through mentoring, customised training, or technical help, we aim to build strong partnerships. By giving local groups the tools and knowledge they need, we’re helping create a stronger network of education support for children — both now and in the future.
Our corporate partner Infosys have supported the Street Child team to establish Digital Learning Centres near the frontlines, offering children a safe space to access educational and mental health support. They are also supporting the development of online educational content for both students and teachers, to be hosted on the company’s flagship digital learning platform, Springboard.
In a time when many schools are operating online, these centres offer safe spaces for children to regain a sense of normalcy and community.
choose an amount to donate the Ukraine
crisis appeal
could go towards supporting a local organisation in Ukraine providing hygiene essentials such as nappies and period products to families who have been displaced by the conflict.
Could provide a family of 5 with nutritious food items such as eggs, meat and flour for one week.
could go towards providing basic supplies for a family who have fled their home.
Or enter your own amount. Please give generously!
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