Strengthening Resilience in Children and Families Living in Displacement Due to War

Daily, there are reports of children suffering as a consequence of war. News report upon news report… full of more and more stories of how children are impacted by the war. At the beginning of 2025, the UN stated that there were 473 million children living in conflict zones. That is a huge number, and sadly the rest of the year did not make this any easier for children, so the data is likely much larger at the beginning of this year. There is a debate in research as to how best to support children and families living in displacement as a result of war. I often hear people commenting that children are ‘traumatized for life’ due to what they have experienced and that they need ‘long-term therapy’. I fully agree that these terrible incidents of war impact children, and trauma is likely a result of what they have lived through. However, I am also wondering what the role of protective factors are during these times and how enhancing these would strengthen resilience in children. I remember from my own research, which I conducted in Jordan with children from Syria, how the social environment had a huge impact on their mental health and resilience. I am convinced that the role of play in children’s lives holds crucial answers. During this year, I will be spending more time researching this further so that communities can be equipped with evidence-based support that helps children and makes a lifelong difference. Throughout my career, I have always held a strengths-based approach when considering how to best support children. Therefore, instead of viewing children as victims who are ‘damaged for life’, I am determined to find ways that strengthen protective factors for families and communities, which can then make a far-reaching impact. From my own work and from research, I know that things like safe spaces for play, art, music, drumming, and sensory intervention for children to come together are crucial so they have a place where they feel safe, have a sense of belonging, and can engage in learning. My heart behind setting up Child Therapy International was to ensure that every child, no matter where they are, can receive the therapeutic support they need. If you and your team would like to collaborate on this further, or you would like to read the article I wrote on how Play Therapy can contribute to strengthening resilience in children from Syria, please send me a message. If you are interested in what I am reading at the moment here is a link to a great article:

Betancourt, T.S. and Khan, K.T., 2008. The mental health of children affected by armed conflict: Protective processes and pathways to resilience. International review of psychiatry, 20(3), pp.317-328.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2613765/pdf/nihms81745.pdf

(Photo credit: Image by hosny salah from Pixabay )