The large-scale war has not only made access to education more difficult for all students, but has also exposed the weaknesses of the inclusion system that provides education for children with special educational needs. For such children, school should be a space of reliable support from adults, and it is these elements that are destroyed in war. The loss of stability puts at risk the skills already acquired: what has been formed over years can deteriorate significantly in a short period of instability.
Consequences of war for children with OOP
Experts from the Center for Psychological Assistance “Confidence” note that regression in the learning and social behavior of children with OOP during the war is a typical reaction of the nervous system to prolonged danger and chronic stress, and not a sign of laziness or unwillingness to learn. Understanding this helps parents and teachers to form more effective support, focusing primarily on restoring safety and stability, and only then on academic requirements.
According to psychologists, the loss of a significant adult and disruption of the daily structure of learning have a direct impact on the motivation and behavior of a child. For example, a seventh-grader with special needs, who switched to online learning due to the outbreak of the war and simultaneously changed his teaching assistant, showed a significant decrease in motivation, deterioration in reading skills and social activity. The boy avoided communication with peers, spent time playing games, and became emotionally withdrawn. At first glance, this behavior may look like laziness, but psychologists emphasize that this is a reaction of the nervous system, which is in survival mode: the brain chooses protection instead of active learning.
Psychologist Yulia Chepelenko explains that when a significant adult and a clear structure are lost, the child’s brain goes into a state of anxiety, which is why the resumption of educational activity requires gradual work on restoring a basic sense of security. In this case, the help of specialists did not consist in “catching up with the program”, but in creating a predictable environment where the child could return to studies without pressure and gradually restore lost skills.
Fear of face-to-face education after distance learning
For a fifteen-year-old teenager who had studied remotely for a long time, returning to face-to-face school became a source of great fear. Learning situations in an underground room caused anxiety, avoidance of answers at the blackboard, fear of ridicule due to unclear pronunciation, and physical manifestations of stress, such as abdominal pain and nausea. The specialists decided to work through practicing school scenarios, playing out possible situations, teaching self-soothing techniques and discussing fears, which made it possible to gradually return to the educational process.
This example demonstrates that fear of in-person school is a normal consequence of long-term distance education and instability, and that the help of a psychologist and a gradual return to the school environment are more effective than forced inclusion in education.
Emotional breakdowns and overload during distance learning
Children with autism spectrum disorders or ADHD during distance learning may demonstrate sharp emotional breakdowns: from inability to maintain attention to screaming, refusal to complete tasks and rapid exhaustion. War creates constant background anxiety, which, combined with long hours in front of the screen and sensory overload, leads to significant psycho-emotional difficulties.
Psychological work in such cases includes psycho-education, grounding techniques, physical exercises, short breaks, and structured assistance to parents in planning the day and reducing demands. This allows the child to learn to recognize their emotional states and reduce the intensity of breakdowns, and parents to preserve their own resources and stability in the family.
Frontline reality and multi-layered stress
According to experts, children with intellectual disabilities living in frontline regions remain particularly vulnerable. Constant shelling, unstable family conditions, lack of regular light, and inability to attend school lead to a deepening of attention, memory, and emotional stability disorders. In such conditions, only the comprehensive work of a psychologist, family support, and a safe environment allow restoring at least minimal basic skills and stabilizing the child’s condition.
The “Hugs for You” project, implemented by the Confidence Psychological Assistance Center with the support of UNICEF and the EU, has shown the effectiveness of comprehensive support. The classes used art therapy, body practices, grounding, sensory tools, work with emotions, and fairy tale therapy, which allowed children to restore skills, adapt to learning, and experience complex emotions in a safe environment.
Anna Koroleva, a specialist at the center, emphasizes that regression in children during the war is not a manifestation of whim or loss of abilities, but a reaction of the nervous system to overload:
“We see regression in speech, loss of self-service skills, a return to behavior typical of younger ages. This is not a whim – it is a nervous system that is overloaded.
At the same time, psychologists worked with parents, helping them conserve resources, cope with burnout, and adapt to new conditions, which directly affected the child’s ability to move forward.
Practical tips for supporting learning during wartime
During air raids and distance learning, it is extremely difficult for children with OOP to regain concentration. To ensure effective inclusion in the learning process, special adaptations are required: subtitles, a clear lesson structure, enlarged font, alternative ways of answering, recording classes, and regular breaks.
Experts advise starting by restoring stability and structure: fewer extra classes, a predictable daily routine, rituals for the beginning and end of school time. Physical practices, breathing exercises, and grounding allow the child to control the physical manifestations of stress, and working with emotional literacy helps to name states and reduce the intensity of experiences.
Psychologist Anastasia Grabovyk emphasizes that support is needed not only for the child, but also for the parents:
“You need to treat yourself with compassion and realize that the conditions of war and distance learning create challenges that you have not encountered before. Turning to a psychologist does not mean that you are doing something wrong – it is a resource and support for the entire family.”
The regression of children during the war is not a loss of abilities, but a signal that the child lacks stability and security. Inclusion in wartime is manifested not in formal documents, but in real actions: in creating a safe space, providing subtitles in lessons, breaks, supporting parents and teachers who take into account the individual needs of the child. When the school, family and professionals work together, even in difficult war conditions, the development of children with SEN can be preserved.
