FAMILIES OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS WITH CHILDREN: NEEDS AND STRATEGIES FOR MASTERING DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

Abstract

The presented research is aimed at revealing the problems, needs and coping strategies of internally displaced persons families with children who are temporarily residing in Kyiv and Kyiv region and justifying ways to optimize their social support. The study was conducted as part of the social project "Assistance in the preparation for the cold for families with children who suffered from war", which is implemented by All-Ukrainian Charity «Child Well-being Fund Ukraine» and Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (Germany) and provided an online survey of families who claimed to receive humanitarian aid. Data received during the survey were subject to statistical analysis. Studies have demonstrated that families of internally displaced persons with children differ in composition, income level and available resources, but cannot fully meet the needs for living, functioning and development of family, have problems of material or psychological nature and use passive (different forms of savings, debts and loans, appeal for help) and active (finding additional earnings) coping strategies. The relationships between problems, needs and coping strategies are reciprocal: a problem or a dissatisfied need causes the need to apply a certain strategy for mastering a situation, but the choice of a certain strategy leads to the satisfaction of some needs at the expense of others or other problems. The nature of problems and needs of families and the choice of coping strategy depends on the composition of the family: the number of children, adults, disabled persons and persons who need care, but are not fully determined. Most families mainly pay attention to material problems and direct their resources to compensation for losses. Psychological problems and development needs are in the spotlight of families, which to some extent solved the issue of financial support in the conditions of forced migration. Recommendations on social work with families of internally displaced persons with children are presented: providing of social support, centered to support strengths and resilience, complex specialized service for such families, support of self -help and social action groups.