Don’t underestimate, don’t overestimate their resilience
Interview with Ukrainian crisis team member Noortje Jansen
Noortje Jansen from the ARQ Centre of Expertise for the Impact of Disasters and Crises is part of a crisis team involved in helping Ukrainian refugees. That involves and demands quite a lot, given the large flow of refugees and escalating long war.
On 8 March 2022, ARQ received a request from the government to put the crisis team into action. This team had to provide support to professionals working on the reception of people from Ukraine. The crisis team – together with the RIVM (Dutch Institute for Public Health and the Environment) – also had to advise the municipal health services on coordinating psychosocial assistance to these refugees. The crisis team also advised organisations with Ukrainian or Russian employees and set up a contact point for professionals who provide support to Ukrainian refugees. Colleagues from all levels of ARQ took part.
Crisis Expert Team issues advice
“The team of experts consists of experts in the field of (mental) health of refugees or those affected by disasters. Professors Michel Dückers and Wietse Tol from ARQ took part. There was also someone from Pharos, the RIVM, a general practitioner and me from ARQ. With this Crisis Expert Team, we drew up advice on how to organise psychosocial assistance for Ukrainian refugees. We also found that the (care) needs of Ukrainians had to be mapped out with a health survey.”
"The structure of the municipal health services is more prepared for sudden disasters. Now, however, it was a protracted crisis whose end is still not in sight."
Falling through the cracks
“At the reception locations, the medical branch of the municipal health services immediately got to work. The psychosocial assistance (PSA) started later and was difficult to get going. Due to the special status of the Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands, the municipalities were now responsible for reception and support. The municipal health services wanted to advise but pointed further to the municipalities. The structure of the municipal health services is more prepared for sudden disasters. They then take care of coordination at the reception location and advise the reception authorities and the municipality. Now, however, it was a protracted crisis whose end is still not in sight. With their limited number of hours for PSA, municipal health services had far too little time for this. And in the meantime, the municipalities didn’t know what to do either. The mental guidance of Ukrainian displaced persons thus threatened to fall through the cracks.
In the meantime, a lot of good things were happening. Nothing but praise, for example, for how the Dutch Council for Refugees helps Ukrainians. They provide information on their website in Ukrainian, Russian and Dutch.”
PSA Unit for Ukrainian Displaced Persons
“In mid-2022, a number of organisations, including ARQ, set up the PSA Unit for Ukrainian Displaced Persons (LOOP). It is a network organisation: via the unit you can see who is doing what in PSA. It is also a source of information for care providers. Many questions come up: about troubles, addiction problems, suicidal behaviour in young people, children who are dragged back and forth between locations and therefore miss school. We have drawn up a checklist for psychosocial assistance for the reception locations. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of uncertainty about responsibilities. And in the meantime, more and more people are coming here. Even more than the earlier streams of Ukrainian refugees, they have experienced far-reaching events because they have been in the war for longer. Psychosocial assistance is therefore even more important for them.”
"The trick is to keep an eye on the needs of those affected, but also to monitor closely what they can do themselves."
A delicate balance
“During a disaster and its aftermath, different phases can be distinguished. In the beginning, people around those affected pay a lot of attention to them. They want to do something for them. This is often followed by a phase in which people return to the order of the day, while that order is not yet there for those affected. The trick is to keep an eye on the needs of those affected, but also to monitor closely what they can do themselves. You hope that people will eventually regain their balance. Support is all about timeliness. Try to get a good idea of where people can recover on their own and where they need (extra) support or care. The trick is not to underestimate their resilience, but also not to overestimate it. It's a complicated balance, even for the most seasoned care provider.”
In addition to the activities in the Netherlands, ARQ also provides psychosocial care in Ukraine as a guest partner of the Dutch foundation Giro555.
