War destroys not only cities and villages, but also the lives of those most in need of protection – children with disabilities. For them, every day becomes a challenge: alarm sirens instead of lessons, evacuation instead of games, and learning is a luxury that is difficult to afford. Maximum conditions should be created for such children: specialized classes, qualified teachers, constant attention and support. But instead of all this, they have fear and uncertainty.
While some children suffer from the overload of school programs, others struggle with the reality that takes away from them the banal right to the future. How do those survive for whom regular school has always been difficult to access, and now even online lessons seem like an unattainable dream?
Heavy statistics of children’s broken lives
On December 2, the world celebrates Special Education Day, designed to draw attention to the importance of inclusive education and support for children with special educational needs. It is a reminder of the rights of every child to access quality education, regardless of their physical, mental or emotional characteristics.
Special Education Day began in 2005 as a way to commemorate the signing of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the United States in 1975. This law became an important step in the fight for equal rights for students with special needs. He ensured that every child, regardless of their ability, would have access to a free education in public schools. Over time, this holiday has spread throughout the world, because the issue of inclusion affects every society.
Broken health, constant barriers in performing routine activities, unadapted environment and intolerant attitude from society – this is the list of challenges that children with disabilities struggle with every day. Each such child is waging a personal war for their own survival, while a full-scale invasion threatens all living things around them.
For data According to state statistics, before the war there were 162,900 children with disabilities in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the number of children with disabilities has slightly decreased by 0.43% in 2022 and amounted to 162.2 thousand. However, in 2023, there were 163.9 thousand children with disabilities in Ukraine. In 2024, there is a tendency to increase the number of persons with disabilities by 27,000.
War spares no one and inflicts heavy losses every day. Thus, in the first days of the full-scale invasion, 1,420 children were mutilated. In 2023, 989 children suffered injuries and mutilations. As of June 2024, this number was 1,146 children, and unfortunately, it is growing so rapidly every day that it is impossible to track it. All these children have suffered severe mutilation, both physical and mental, and now they have to learn to live in a new way, constantly choosing every movement.
Children, in whom every day of life is a constant intense struggle with their illnesses and pain, have to live in a world of constant stress and fear caused by war. This category of population needs special care and protection from the state. But the most important thing is that these children also have the right to study and build their own future. Even before the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, a network of inclusive resource centers (IRC) was created in the country, which supported the organization of inclusive education in institutions of general secondary, preschool and vocational education. In addition to support from the IRC, inclusion in schools was ensured by assistant teachers, who are also pedagogical workers and enrolled in the staff of educational institutions. A subvention was also introduced to support children with special needs. Its funds can be used to provide correctional and development services and purchase auxiliary correctional equipment.
For data MES, as of 2023 in Ukraine there were:
- inclusive groups of preschool education institutions – 6158, including pupils with special educational needs – 11285,
- inclusive classes of general secondary education institutions – 29,321, including students with special educational needs – 40,354,
- 807 special classes of special educational institutions, including 7,044 students with special educational needs.
Thus, during the years of the full-scale invasion, the number of students with special educational needs in the inclusive classes of special educational institutions more than doubled:
- 2022-2023 academic year – 33,861 students from SEN and 24,995 inclusive classes;
- 2023-2024 academic year – 40,354 students with special needs and 29,321 inclusive classes (operational information).
The support system is broken
The war brought many challenges to Ukraine, but among them there are those that are hardly talked about. Education for children with special educational needs has become one of the least prioritized areas. And although the government is taking measures to support the general education process, specialized education for such children remains in a crisis situation. Many specialized institutions have been destroyed or stopped their work due to hostilities. A large number of teachers, including those who worked with children from OOP, left abroad or changed professions due to job loss and danger.
Funding for inclusion has decreased because most resources are directed to military needs, and inclusive education today remains outside the country’s priorities, despite the sad fact that the number of children with disabilities is increasing every day. There is an inclusive subvention even during the war, but the officials could not find funds for its full support. It was reduced by more than 10% and currently amounts to only UAH 304.6 million. Of course, these funds are not enough to provide inclusive classes with the necessary resources.
Despite claims of support for children with disabilities, real government action is often insufficient or delayed. Let’s take at least shelter. We have mentioned more than once about the dubious condition of the premises where students are supposed to be during an air raid. Of course, such places do not have ramps or specially equipped desks for children in wheelchairs. Many schools have shelters with narrow stairs. And no one has any idea about a specialized bathroom. And to quickly transport children with disabilities to such a room in case of danger is generally considered an impossible task. It is worth noting that the teachers themselves complain in a private conversation that they still do not have any instructions or clarifications from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on how to evacuate children from PLOs to shelters.
The online learning format that most schools switched to during the war is not at all suitable for many children with special needs. After all, there are no programs for the development of sensory skills or work with defectologists. For example, children with autism spectrum disorders or hearing impairments need direct interaction with teachers, which a computer screen cannot replace. Electronic resources are often unavailable due to the lack of stable Internet or the lack of technical means in the families themselves. There are benefits for families raising children with disabilities, but they cover only basic needs and are not always provided on time.
Another difficulty is the overloading of the IRCs operating in the country. Children with special educational needs from IDP families came to them. While there were no more specialists, and working hours and the number of bets did not increase either. There are no funds in local budgets to increase the number of specialists or pay for the services of existing ones.
It should be understood that for a child with special educational needs, the loss of access to education is not just a break in education. This is a loss of socialization, development, chances for an independent future. Only daily work with children with SEN can give results. And when there is no such work, skills are lost. We are talking not only about educational losses, but also about developmental losses. After all, such a special child has extremely limited sources of support. In a situation where even basic needs are neglected, inclusion turns into an unattainable luxury.
How education is organized for students with special educational needs abroad
In different countries of the world, education systems for children with special needs have their own characteristics. They have been developed for decades and are based on the principles of inclusion, accessibility and equal opportunities.
Thus, the United States has the Children with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees every child access to a free and appropriate education. Such an educational system is based on individual plans. Each child receives their own learning program adapted to their needs. At the same time, there is no isolation of a child with OOP from his peers. All children study together in regular schools, receiving additional support. In turn, an inclusive environment has been created in the country. And this means that schools are equipped with ramps, elevators, special classrooms for sensory stimulation, and assistants are available for children. Any school has defectologists, psychologists, and speech therapists who accompany children during their studies.
Finland is generally considered one of the leading countries in the field of inclusive education. In this country, students receive personalized help depending on their needs: from temporary to permanent support. Specialists work with children at the preschool stage, which helps to avoid difficulties in further education. Education takes place in regular schools, but children have access to specialized teachers and resources. Active support is also provided to families where children with SEN are growing up. Parents receive psychological and financial assistance, as well as access to information about their children’s educational opportunities.
In Germany, the education system for children with special needs is based on a balance between inclusion and specialized schools. Children who need intensive support attend schools specializing in certain types of disabilities (for example, impaired vision, hearing or intellectual development). Every year more and more children are integrated into general education schools in Germany, receiving the help of assistants and adapted programs. The state allocates significant resources to equipping schools and training teachers to work with children with special needs.
In Canada, the education system for children with special educational needs varies by province, but the general principles are the same. There, too, most children study in regular schools. Lessons are adapted to their needs, and specialists help them integrate. The government funds support programs, including technology (such as devices for blind or deaf children). Centers have been created for children with severe disabilities that provide intensive therapy and education.
Japan manages to combine tradition and a modern approach to education. The integration of children with OOP here takes place in stages. First, children attend specialized classes, and then they are gradually integrated into the general school. Schools use modern technologies, such as robot assistants, which help children with movement or speech disorders. Parents are actively involved in the educational process, which contributes to better adaptation of children.
As you can see, in foreign countries, considerable attention is paid to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has equal rights and equal access to education. The state makes significant investments in education and training of specialists who provide assistance and support to children with disabilities during their studies. Thus, in foreign countries, the infrastructure is very developed: adapted buildings, there is access to technical means, educational institutions are equipped with all the necessary equipment to ensure the educational process for all students, regardless of their state of health. Children with SEN are not isolated from their peers. And training programs are adapted to the needs of each child. The cooperation of teachers, doctors and social workers, as well as the support of the parents of such special children, bears fruit – no child with OOP feels “different from others”.
Ukraine should take as an example the methods of creating an inclusive environment and functioning of full-fledged inclusive education of foreign countries, adapting their models to its own realities. The main thing is the recognition that every child has the right to education, regardless of circumstances or developmental characteristics.
Today, the attention of international donors and the Ministry of Education and Culture is focused on supporting general secondary education. Almost every month, officials in high offices come up with surprising reforms that are far from reality and the real needs of all participants in the educational process. The assistance only concerns the distribution of laptops, the purchase of textbooks, etc. However, for some reason there is no mention of children with OOP at all. And children with special educational needs cannot wait. Their development depends on the actions that need to be taken now. And if we are talking about the future of the country, this future should be accessible to everyone.
Education for children with disabilities in war requires a comprehensive approach: from building new schools to adapting digital platforms for children with different needs. Broader international support is also needed, because Ukraine cannot cope with this challenge alone. Special programs are needed to educate children with special needs even in war, including mobile classrooms and remote platforms with professional support.
War takes away a lot – homes, peace, normal life. But her biggest crime is the stolen future of children, especially those who were already born with challenges. For a child with a disability, school was not just a place of learning, but a window to the world, a chance to find his place in society. Now this window is closed by the wreckage of war.
We cannot change what has already happened, but we can create a different tomorrow. In a country that is fighting for freedom and integrating into modern European society, there should be no room for indifference to those who most depend on our support. By solving the problems of education of children with special needs today, we give them a chance for a decent future – and this is the only right choice.
