Meeting Urgent Needs of Children and Families in War-Affected Communities: Localised Approaches Towards Integrated CP, Education and MHPSS services ltpgtThis project aims to meet the urgent needs of children and their caregivers in war-affected communities of Ukraine regarding life-saving information and assistance and dignified access to quality child protection, education and MHPSS services. Localized and community-based approaches will be deployed, focusing on addressing trauma, distress and child protection risks in community, kindergarten and school settings. The focus of the project will be on Dnipropetrovska, Donetska, Zaporizka, Mykolaivska and Kharkivska oblasts, targeting 11 raions and 19 hromadas and aiming to create a cohesive and sustainable network of support, especially for war-affected populations in hard-to-reach and underserved areas of Ukraine. ltbrgtThe project will be implemented by a consortium of two local and one international organization. With War Child as the applicant organization and technical expert in evidence-based MHPSS and Education methodologies, this consortium is further composed of AUFCR (focused on MHPSS and child protection services and disability inclusion) and Montessori UA (implementing educational support programs).  ltbrgtThis multi-sectoral project will focus on the integration of child protection and education components. Through the operation of Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) and mobile teams and work in kindergartens and schools across the target locations, children will be provided with child protection case management (CPCM), MHPSS services, recreational and extra-curricular activities. The project will provide assistance to 26,506 girls and boys and 7,487 parents and caregivers, while it will also support 8,680 community stakeholders, including 5,540 educators.ltbrgtBesides creating safe and accessible environments for children in various community settings and schools (including CFS, community centers, inclusive resource centers, temporary learning centers and kindergartens), the project will deploy mobile units to make sure that children and their caregivers in remote and underserved areas have meaningful access to life-saving services and education, considering intersecting factors of displacement, disability and geographic location (in terms of remoteness/accessibility of services). ltbrgtFurthermore, child protection awareness raising to children and caregivers will be conducted through leaflets, radio messages and community events. A component on community-based care arrangements will also be integrated within the awareness strategy, promoting the best interest of children in institutional care. In the same direction, a network of community outreach volunteers will be established across the 5 targeted oblasts to further disseminate child- and disability-sensitive information and liaise vulnerable families and children with services. In addition, key community stakeholders  and teachers will be trained on ReachNow tool, so as to better identify children and adolescents in distress and promote help-seeking strategies. ltbrgtThe project will also strengthen local capacities on gender and protection capacities in project locations. Trainings on child protection, child safeguarding and emerging child rights issues will be provided to community stakeholders. A specialized training module will be developed to strengthen the capacities of state child protection actors and (foster) families in caregiver skills for children with developmental delays and disabilities. In addition, child protection will be mainstreamed in schools through awareness and information sharing materials on EORE, MHPSS and child protection. Taking into consideration the critical need to support teachers and children psychologically, trainings on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and sessions focusing on teacher wellbeing will be delivered, followed by the establishment of communities of practice. ltbrgtlt/pgt