Prior to the recent crisis, Afghanistan was marked as one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a child. Over the past few weeks, as the Taliban have seized control throughout the country, and scores of people have been forced to go into hiding or flee their homeland, it is clear that children and young Afghans will pay a heavy price as they process and internalise the trauma of current events.

Under previous Taliban rule in the 1990s the freedom to be a child and enjoy a life sheltered from war and oppression was stolen from millions living in Afghanistan at that time. If Taliban leaders re-instate many of the same policies this time around, we are facing another generation of children forced to endure graphic violence, without access to adequate education, and impacted by mental and physical ill-health.

For those forced to leave people and belongings behind in their escape out of the country, there is no easy road forward. Countries around the world have a duty to extend a welcome to refugees as they navigate a new life. In the UK this welcome may take many forms from the top downwards, and at Kazzum Arts we are committed to advocating for refugees and migrants displaced and isolated by circumstances beyond their control. In our collection of free resources titled ‘What do you know about Migration?’ we have developed animations, workshops and information packs designed to support children aged 7 – 11 and young people aged 12+ in deepening their awareness and understanding around immigration. We also have a series of educator resources and guides to support classroom or at-home learning.

For refugees, the long-term impact of starting a new life in an unfamiliar country is extremely difficult to endure, let alone explain to those that have never had to leave their homeland. Our animation Joe Like This explains in more detail how often the children of migrants and refugees may have insecure or undocumented status in the UK, and the looming threat of deportation can result in daily anguish. Our ‘Brighter Futures’ group have also explored these issues using poetry in the ‘Words Apart’ project. During the recent scramble to evacuate Afghanistan, hundreds of children were separated from their families, and that number is expected to rise as Unicef’s registration efforts continue. Even for families able to stay together the lengthy resettlement process itself can lead to further trauma, layered on top of that which has already been wrought by the reasons for their fleeing. Opportunities that go some way towards taking children and young people out and away from daily stressors are few and far between, but they can be crucial in avoiding a mental health collapse.

The creative arts are one method proven to have a positive impact on trauma in children and young people. Trauma is processed and held captive by the autonomic nervous system, creating a series of physical responses that can disable essential verbalisation. When unable to verbalise emotions, the act of creating art can provide a physical means of communication, whilst also cultivating a long-term calming effect that builds positive mental health. This, combined with a workshop environment alongside others who may be going through a similar experience, is just one way that we may be able to assist refugees and migrants through their resettlement. In a previous blog post on the Kazzum Arts website, we outlined the importance of engendering a deeper awareness of trauma and its lasting impact, which is a top priority for Kazzum Arts as an organisation. Through our Pathways Programme, we put this into practice, engaging migrants and refugees in art workshops that support their creativity and wellbeing. We have created a series of ‘Grounded’ animations designed to support children and young people’s mental health using mindfulness. These have been translated into a series of languages commonly spoken on our Pathways Programme, accessible via our website.

As the crisis in Afghanistan continues, the world must not lose sight of its responsibility towards Afghans. The media attention is dying down, and the public outcry is already quieter, but in the UK we cannot forget our duty of care towards refugees at this crucial point. All children deserve the right to be protected from trauma and feel safe; if that is not possible in their homeland, then we have the ways and means to support those that must now begin the arduous process of building a new life here.

The Need to Extend a Welcome