On December 5–6, a workshop “SHIELDing Children and Families Displaced by War for a Better Future” took place in Oslo, Norway. The primary objective of the workshop was to enhance psychosocial support for children affected by war.
Organised by the Norwegian Centre for Research on Violence and Traumatic Stress (NKVTS), the workshop featured an opening address by Dr. Sine Stensland, PhD, Head of the Section on Disasters and Forced Migration, Children and Adolescents. She underscored that the collaboration’s outcomes would contribute to building competencies and capacities in Ukraine during the ongoing war.
A key focus of the meeting was the development of a screening questionnaire designed to assess the psychosocial state of displaced children and adolescents – SHIELD. This tool aims to assist primary healthcare workers in structuring conversations with affected children and their families.
The initiative brought together international experts from Ukraine, Lithuania, Sweden, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway.
Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University was represented by Dr. Larysa Zasekina, Director of the Ukrainian Psychotrauma Center, Professor of General and Clinical Psychology Department, along with Yuliia Rozmyrska (PhD), Associate Professor of Developmental and Age Psychology Department. The team presented the international initiatives of the University, including international projects coordinated by the Ukrainian Psychotrauma Center.
Throughout the two-day event, the researchers have worked on developing instruments for assessment and intervention for displaced children and their families.
