The damage and violence people have seen will be brought with them, mental health experts say. Getty
The damage and violence people have seen will be brought with them, mental health experts say. Getty
The damage and violence people have seen will be brought with them, mental health experts say. Getty
The damage and violence people have seen will be brought with them, mental health experts say. Getty

World

Prioritise mental health support for Ukrainians arriving in UK, experts say

Refugees fleeing the war 'will need immediate access to services'

Simon Rushton
Simon Rushton

March 21, 2022

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Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine

Refugees fleeing the Ukraine war will need immediate access to mental health services, experts have warned.

Tackling issues including anxiety and fear is important in trying to prevent people developing mental health problems.

The UK has issued 9,500 visas to Ukrainians with family ties to the UK. Other refugees are being accepted under a scheme to house them with volunteers, of which 150,000 people have expressed an interest in acting as hosts. A group of 50 orphans was expected to land on Monday.

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As part of the emergency refugee operation, some immediate access to the UK’s benefits system has been arranged.

“Depending on where you are in Ukraine, at the moment you may be experiencing absolutely catastrophic, direct, traumatic events occurring: loss of homes, having no electricity, no water, deaths of people around you, being injured yourself,” said Prof Jonathan Bisson, professor in psychiatry at Cardiff University.

Firefighters put out a major blaze caused by Russian shelling at a food warehouse in Severodonetsk, a city in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk region. AFP
Firefighters put out a major blaze caused by Russian shelling at a food warehouse in Severodonetsk, a city in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk region. AFP
Irina Zubchenko walks her dog Max amid the destruction caused by the shelling of a shopping center in Kyiv. AP
Irina Zubchenko walks her dog Max amid the destruction caused by the shelling of a shopping center in Kyiv. AP
Ukrainian refugee Masha, 6, plays at the border crossing in Budomierz, Poland. Reuters
Ukrainian refugee Masha, 6, plays at the border crossing in Budomierz, Poland. Reuters
A charred Russian armoured personnel carrier on the front line in the Kyiv region. Reuters
A charred Russian armoured personnel carrier on the front line in the Kyiv region. Reuters
A volunteer takes position at a checkpoint in a district of Kyiv as Russian forces try to encircle the Ukrainian capital. AFP
A volunteer takes position at a checkpoint in a district of Kyiv as Russian forces try to encircle the Ukrainian capital. AFP
Residents of Kyiv retrieve belongings from their homes in a five-storey residential building that partially collapsed after shelling by Russian artillery. AFP
Residents of Kyiv retrieve belongings from their homes in a five-storey residential building that partially collapsed after shelling by Russian artillery. AFP
Police officers in Moscow detain a woman as she protests against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. AFP
Police officers in Moscow detain a woman as she protests against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. AFP
A resident of the village of Krasylivka after Russian bombardment, part of Moscow's effort to move on Kyiv. AFP
A resident of the village of Krasylivka after Russian bombardment, part of Moscow's effort to move on Kyiv. AFP
Tetiana Chornovol, a former Ukrainian MP, prepares to take position with an anti-tank missile on the front line in the Kyiv region. Reuters
Tetiana Chornovol, a former Ukrainian MP, prepares to take position with an anti-tank missile on the front line in the Kyiv region. Reuters
A rescue worker at a shopping mall in Kyiv after a Russian air strike. Reuters
A rescue worker at a shopping mall in Kyiv after a Russian air strike. Reuters
Ukrainian firefighters rescue a person buried beneath rubble after an explosion at a shopping centre in Kyiv. Reuters
Ukrainian firefighters rescue a person buried beneath rubble after an explosion at a shopping centre in Kyiv. Reuters
Ukrainian police officers stand near a warehouse that was hit by the debris of a downed rocket in Kyiv. AFP
Ukrainian police officers stand near a warehouse that was hit by the debris of a downed rocket in Kyiv. AFP
Graves are dug in a street in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol. Reuters
Graves are dug in a street in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol. Reuters
Pro-Russia militia fighters travel by tank to the outskirts of Mariupol. Reuters
Pro-Russia militia fighters travel by tank to the outskirts of Mariupol. Reuters
Milana, 6, who is recovering from leg wounds sustained when a Russian rocket hit her house on February 28, killing her mother, watches volunteers dressed as clowns at a children's hospital in Kyiv. Getty
Milana, 6, who is recovering from leg wounds sustained when a Russian rocket hit her house on February 28, killing her mother, watches volunteers dressed as clowns at a children's hospital in Kyiv. Getty
Tetyana and other residents wait in Kyiv, after being relocated from Irpin town. EPA
Tetyana and other residents wait in Kyiv, after being relocated from Irpin town. EPA
Rescuers carry a Ukrainian soldier saved after 30 hours trapped in the wreckage of a military school hit by Russian rockets, in Mykolaiv. AFP
Rescuers carry a Ukrainian soldier saved after 30 hours trapped in the wreckage of a military school hit by Russian rockets, in Mykolaiv. AFP
A Ukrainian refugee arrives with her dog at the reception centre about three kilometres from the Moldova-Ukraine border. EPA
A Ukrainian refugee arrives with her dog at the reception centre about three kilometres from the Moldova-Ukraine border. EPA
Volunteers in Kyiv prepare packages with food and other goods for Ukrainian soldiers and civilians in cities across the country. EPA
Volunteers in Kyiv prepare packages with food and other goods for Ukrainian soldiers and civilians in cities across the country. EPA
Residents walk between damaged residential buildings in Mariupol. Reuters
Residents walk between damaged residential buildings in Mariupol. Reuters
Participants illuminate the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna with the lights of their smartphones, during the charity concert We Stand with Ukraine. AFP
Participants illuminate the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna with the lights of their smartphones, during the charity concert We Stand with Ukraine. AFP
Yana Hladiychuk of Ukraine with a "Stop War" message on her face after the women's pole vault, on the second day of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade. Getty
Yana Hladiychuk of Ukraine with a "Stop War" message on her face after the women's pole vault, on the second day of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade. Getty
An Ukrainian girl in tears after crossing the border in Siret, northern Romania. AFP
An Ukrainian girl in tears after crossing the border in Siret, northern Romania. AFP
A satellite image shows the aftermath of the Russian air strike on the Mariupol Drama Theatre. EPA/Maxar Technologies
A satellite image shows the aftermath of the Russian air strike on the Mariupol Drama Theatre. EPA/Maxar Technologies
A woman takes cover in a military trench as a Russian jet fighter flies overhead, near the military school hit by Russian rockets the day before, in Mykolaiv. AFP
A woman takes cover in a military trench as a Russian jet fighter flies overhead, near the military school hit by Russian rockets the day before, in Mykolaiv. AFP
A man walks amid debris in front of a Kyiv residential apartment complex that was heavily damaged by a Russian attack on March 18. Getty
A man walks amid debris in front of a Kyiv residential apartment complex that was heavily damaged by a Russian attack on March 18. Getty
Residents carry water from a food warehouse, which is under the control of the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic, on the outskirts of Mariupol. AP
Residents carry water from a food warehouse, which is under the control of the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic, on the outskirts of Mariupol. AP
Rescuers work at the site of the National Academy of State Administration building damaged by shelling in Kharkiv. AP
Rescuers work at the site of the National Academy of State Administration building damaged by shelling in Kharkiv. AP
A satellite image shows artillery strikes and burning fields in Chernihiv. AP / Maxar Technologies
A satellite image shows artillery strikes and burning fields in Chernihiv. AP / Maxar Technologies
A resident assesses her damaged flat in Mariupol. Reuters
A resident assesses her damaged flat in Mariupol. Reuters
Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko keeps people away from a five-storey residential building that partially collapsed after shelling on March 18. AFP
Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko keeps people away from a five-storey residential building that partially collapsed after shelling on March 18. AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses crowds at a concert in Moscow to mark the eighth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea. AP
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses crowds at a concert in Moscow to mark the eighth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea. AP
Ukrainian policemen secure a residential area in Kyiv. Sergei Supinsky
Ukrainian policemen secure a residential area in Kyiv. Sergei Supinsky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. AP
A cloud of smoke rises after an explosion in Lviv, western Ukraine, on March 18. AP
A cloud of smoke rises after an explosion in Lviv, western Ukraine, on March 18. AP
Zinaida Pivtsova, 75, who fled the war in Ukraine, takes shelter in a sports stadium in Przemysl, south-east Poland. AP
Zinaida Pivtsova, 75, who fled the war in Ukraine, takes shelter in a sports stadium in Przemysl, south-east Poland. AP
A police officer at abandoned residential buildings in Kyiv. AP
A police officer at abandoned residential buildings in Kyiv. AP
Inside a shell-damaged school in Kyiv. AP
Inside a shell-damaged school in Kyiv. AP
A woman cries before starting to clean the site where a bomb damaged residential buildings in Kyiv. AP Photo / Rodrigo Abd
A woman cries before starting to clean the site where a bomb damaged residential buildings in Kyiv. AP Photo / Rodrigo Abd
A woman from Ukraine sits in a car with her children as a volunteer takes them to a hostel in Budapest, Hungary. AP
A woman from Ukraine sits in a car with her children as a volunteer takes them to a hostel in Budapest, Hungary. AP
An abandoned flat in Kyiv. AP
An abandoned flat in Kyiv. AP
A man removes a curtain inside a school in Kyiv. AP
A man removes a curtain inside a school in Kyiv. AP
A worker sets up a billboard with the colours of the Ukrainian flag in Novoiavorisk, near Lviv. AP
A worker sets up a billboard with the colours of the Ukrainian flag in Novoiavorisk, near Lviv. AP
Olga plays with her daughter Vedeneya in an empty park in Kyiv. AP
Olga plays with her daughter Vedeneya in an empty park in Kyiv. AP

“And if that’s not happening to you, or your town, or where you live at the moment, then clearly there must be a major fear that that will happen in the near future. Any response right from the word go, needs to be trauma informed.

“Establishing people in communities, getting community support, establishing good social networks for people and with people — these are absolutely fundamental to people’s longer term prospects in terms of their mental health and well-being.”

About 150,000 Britons have registered their interest in taking in Ukrainians.

The Ukraine Family Scheme aims to match refugees with individuals, charities and other organisations who can provide accommodation for at least six months, enabling Ukrainians without family ties in the UK to enter the country.

Mykhaila and her daughter from Loubny, central Ukraine, travelled by train to the Ukrainian city of Lviv then took a bus to Medyka on the Polish border, before walking across. Photo: DEC
Mykhaila and her daughter from Loubny, central Ukraine, travelled by train to the Ukrainian city of Lviv then took a bus to Medyka on the Polish border, before walking across. Photo: DEC
Women hold hands at the Medyka border crossing point, through which thousands of Ukrainian refugees have passed. Photo: DEC
Women hold hands at the Medyka border crossing point, through which thousands of Ukrainian refugees have passed. Photo: DEC
Angelika, 27, and her daughter Diana, 4, from Khmelnytskyi in Ukraine arrive at a reception centre on the outskirts of Przemysl, Poland. Photo: DEC
Angelika, 27, and her daughter Diana, 4, from Khmelnytskyi in Ukraine arrive at a reception centre on the outskirts of Przemysl, Poland. Photo: DEC
Maria, 38, from Chernihiv, left Ukraine with a friend. They came to the Romanian border to wait for another friend before crossing. Photo: Panos Pictures
Maria, 38, from Chernihiv, left Ukraine with a friend. They came to the Romanian border to wait for another friend before crossing. Photo: Panos Pictures
Ukrainian Red Cross staff and volunteers are providing food and other basic necessities to about 8,000 people sheltering in an underground station in Kyiv. Photo: Tebukhukhov Maksym
Ukrainian Red Cross staff and volunteers are providing food and other basic necessities to about 8,000 people sheltering in an underground station in Kyiv. Photo: Tebukhukhov Maksym
Kristina wipes away tears at Lwowska reception centre on the outskirts of Przemysl, Poland. Photo: DEC
Kristina wipes away tears at Lwowska reception centre on the outskirts of Przemysl, Poland. Photo: DEC
Ira, 45, and her daughter Olena, 12, outside a transit centre in Przemysl, Poland. Photo: Adrienne Surprenant
Ira, 45, and her daughter Olena, 12, outside a transit centre in Przemysl, Poland. Photo: Adrienne Surprenant
Veronika feeds her son Aleksander at the temporary refugee station in Medyka, eastern Poland. Photo: DEC
Veronika feeds her son Aleksander at the temporary refugee station in Medyka, eastern Poland. Photo: DEC

But they will also need access to mental health professionals.

“There is the concern that lots of well-meaning but untrained counsellors and other kind people will want to help, but for refugees with a high level of trauma it is possible to do more harm when you don’t understand exactly what is needed,” said Dr Noreen Tehrani, a member of the British Psychological Society’s crisis, disaster and trauma section.

“The extremely traumatised women and children who arrive from Ukraine will need significant professional support to come to terms with all they have endured,” said Kama Petruczenko, of the Refugee Council.

People fleeing from the invasion will be able to claim benefits immediately under new emergency rules, including disability and carer payments, from day one.

They will also be eligible for child disability living allowance and carer’s allowance, the Department for Work and Pensions said.

“It’s absolutely critical that we help refugees to recover from the trauma they’ve experienced, and that we identify those in need of additional specialist mental health support,” said Dr Adrian James, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

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