How Ukrainian mothers are overcoming the impact of war

For many Ukrainian mothers, the day begins not with coffee, but with checking the news. Has Ukraine been hit by any new missile strikes overnight? Are their loved ones still alive after another night of drone attacks?

This has become the new reality for families living under constant threat for more than three years. Ongoing stress, endless scrolling through news feeds, and daily calls to check on relatives have become part of life — both for those who remain in Ukraine and for those displaced to the UK.

Yet, despite fear and exhaustion, Ukrainian parents remain deeply hopeful about their children’s future. They do everything possible — and often the impossible — to provide love, stability, and growth opportunities for their children in a world that feels uncertain and unsafe.

I’m originally from Ukraine myself and left after the full-scale Russian invasion of my country.  I came to the UK through the Homes for Ukraine scheme and as I hold a PhD was very fortunate to be awarded a British Academy Cara ‘Researchers at Risk’ fellowship which has given me the opportunity to continue my academic work.

And I have also gained a Leverhulme grant to carry on my research.

I am deeply grateful to these organisations for giving me the chance to continue my research even during such a difficult time for Ukraine.

Through my research I want to show how listening to the voices of those parents from Ukraine now in the UK is key to improving support for these families rebuilding their lives.

Education and childcare: the biggest challenges

My research explores the mental health and resilience of these brave and inspirational Ukrainian mothers and caregivers with young children both in the UK and Ukraine.

I wanted to understand how war, loss and displacement has impacted their mental health and what helps these women remain strong.

In my research I have spoken with 150 Ukrainian parents with children under 10 years old.

The most pressing issue for families was access to school and childcare places, with more than one in five parents reporting delays or rejections in school placement.

Many families described waiting months for available places or travelling long distances to attend schools in other towns.

Language and learning barriers also slowed adaptation. Parents felt that children without language assistants quickly fell behind and lost motivation.

What works – extra programmes and community support

Despite numerous challenges, Ukrainians continue to demonstrate remarkable mutual support. Across various cities in the UK, Ukrainian cultural and educational centres — community hubs — have emerged, providing spaces where families with children can connect, share experiences, and help one another.

This was one of the most helpful initiatives for displaced parents along with psychological and creative therapies including art, music and play which help reduce anxiety. School-based support through attentive teachers, extra tutoring sessions and Ukrainian Saturday schools have also been beneficial.

These initiatives help create a vital sense of belonging for Ukrainian families.

One parent said that such community spaces gave us “new friends and information, they made us feel less alone”.

Ukrainian parents’ vision for the future

When asked what could improve their lives, the parents I spoke to say the most important factors were employment pathways, childcare flexibility, and English-language learning. Many also called for family counselling, easy to access extracurricular programmes, and clear information for newcomers.

Crucially, the parents stressed the importance of long-term stability and visa certainty, as they said short-term residency undermines their ability to plan work, housing, and education.

Parents are eager to work, learn, and integrate - they just need systems that recognise their potential instead of trapping them in waiting lists.

I am now collating all my research and data and hope to finish the project early next year. My early findings however suggest that improving how Ukrainian families and other displaced people adapt to life in the UK doesn’t always mean more funding – it just means listening more closely.