OTB Author Fiona Forman and Graphic Designer Andrea Heron have designed a free booklet to assist teachers in helping newly-arrived children from the Ukraine to feel safe, calm, hopeful and connected, as well as providing them with ways to cope.

This free booklet has been rigorously reviewed and subsequently amended by senior educational psychologists and also by Educational Psychotherapist Marie Delaney. Marie has extensive experience working with students who have been affected by traumatic experiences and is the founder of trauma-ed.com.

NB: Marie has advised that teachers using this booklet should refer to the accompanying TEACHER NOTES to accompany the Welcome to Ireland Booklet.

The booklet – Welcome to Ireland – Classroom Activities for Newly Arrived Students – is dual language (English and Ukrainian) and is available as a free download or in printed format, free from Outside the Box.

The activities in the booklet aim to give children the opportunity to reflect on and share their strengths, likes and hobbies with their new teacher (and classmates, if they wish to). The activities are aimed at children aged approximately 8-10 but can be used for older or younger at the teacher’s discretion.

FREE COPIES: Schools may order actual printed copies of the booklet for their Ukrainian children at no charge by completing the Free Booklet Request Form HERE or by emailing: ukraine-support@otb.ie

FREE TEACHER NOTES DOWNLOAD: Click HERE
PRINTED COPIES WILL BE SENT IF BOOKLETS ARE ORDERED

FREE BOOKLET DOWNLOAD: Click HERE
FREE PRINTED COPIES: Click HERE

The IPTCA (Irish Play Therapy Community Association) has produced a free colourful Ukranian-English Communication Board for use by Children, Teachers and Families. Click on the image above to access the download. It is recommended that you print it back-to-back, laminate it and distribute it to the children.

UK specialist publisher tobi-dynavox brings you a wide range of free, printable resources in Ukrainian and several key languages to support refugees from Ukraine in need of a quick way to communicate basic needs, feelings and medical information. Click on the image above to access their ‘Resources for Ukraine Refugees’ page.

UK specialist publisher Smartbox has engaged their Content Team to create these six communication boards to help people quickly talk about their needs and health, using symbolised core words and medical vocabulary. Click on the image above to access the download.

You can find out about the Irish Government’s support services on:

Irish Government’s Response to the situation in Ukraine

The DES and NEPS have published the following two documents ‘Supporting the Wellbeing of Children from Ukraine in Your School‘ (Primary) and ‘Supporting the Wellbeing of Young People from Ukraine in Your School’ (Post-primary). These documents can be accessed here by clicking on either of the document covers below.

• EAL – English as an Additional Language
• Well-Being for Pupils
• Well-Being for Educators