A charity says it has helped more than 2,000 Ukrainian refugees who have settled in Scotland since the outbreak of war in the country.
The country-wide Barnardo’s Scotland Welcome (Ukraine) Service, which has been running since summer 2022, has worked to ensure that Ukrainian families have felt safe, welcomed and included in life in Scotland.
The charity has published an impact report into the service to mark World Children's Day on November 20, highlighting the work it has done to support people displaced by the conflict.
When the war broke out, the Scottish Government set a target of taking in 3,000 refugees from Ukraine.
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More than eight times as many as predicted have settled in Scotland though, with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) statistics showing that 25,365 people displaced from Ukraine have arrived, many of them women and children.
The charity set up a cost-of-living fund to provide clothing, toys, nappies, baby food, strollers and other essentials; as well as technology such as laptops, mobile phones, Sim cards and tablets to allow refugees to communicate with friends and family who may be scattered across Europe.
The service also provides one-to-one support for trauma, providing help for people who have fled war to settle in a new country where many could not speak English on arrival.
Since June 2022, 612 families have been referred to Barnardo's, with support given to 2079 children, young people and parents.
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Martin Crewe, the Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “To offer targeted support, we continue to work closely with a host of other organisations to deliver a range of service with the aim of ensuring that children, young people and parents receive the support they need to feel less isolated and integrate into their communities.”
One parent who, along with her family, was supported by the Barnardo’s Scotland Welcome (Ukraine) Service said: “I am so grateful to Barnardo’s Scotland for helping my family and other people from Ukraine. We are grateful to all at Barnardo’s for the fact that, over a period of six months, they found ways to solve our problems relating to injuries, relocation, changes in life circumstances, the language barrier, loss of our quality of life and fear of the future.
“My daughter is enjoying life, and my son sleeps peacefully every night and likes to communicate with his peers. I am happy again with the achievements of my children. And I have returned to something resembling a normal life – continuing to study and work – and we can make plans again for the future. Barnardo’s Scotland was the best for us. We thank you very much and we will never forget you.”
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