Mental Health in Education for Crisis-affected Preschool Children: Multilevel Monitoring

Abstract

Introduction: The crisis in Ukraine, related to military actions, poses a significant threat to the mental health of preschool children due to their vulnerability, limited self-awareness, and perception of their surroundings, as well as the critical developmental phase characterized by the establishment of foundational personality structures. Chronic stress and trauma can disrupt normal brain development, potentially leading to delays in cognitive and emotional development in the long term. Therefore, it is essential to systematically identify and analyze the negative factors affecting the mental development of preschool children across key domains, contributing to educational deficits and developmental gaps, and to design targeted interventions to solve those emerging issues. Purpose: The study is focused on the development and implementation of strategies for supporting, preserving, and enhancing the mental well-being of preschool children residing in areas proximate to armed conflict. The research underscores the importance of early and systematic monitoring across various levels (including children, families, educators, professional associations, and early childhood education institutions, including those with alternative forms of preschool education designed to accommodate crisis conditions). Methodology: Multilevel monitoring has encompassed 3,843 children situated in conditions detrimental to their mental health and development across seven frontline regions of Ukraine (Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv). This initiative is a part of a project by "All-Ukrainian Public Organization 'Association of Early Childhood Education Professionals'", with informational support from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and is being implemented in collaboration with the United Nations (UNICEF) project "Improving Access to Early Childhood Education Services in Emergencies and Early Recovery in Ukraine." Level 1 - initial, intermediate, and summative monitoring involved establishing the baseline developmental level of senior preschool children and identifying gaps across key areas, with subsequent measurement of progress and its correlation with interventions aimed at supporting and maintaining children’s mental health. Measurement of indicators was expressed through their manifestation at the minimum and maximum points for each child, with the establishment of an average score (average score = sum of all individual scores divided by the number of children). The average score reflects the overall performance between the lowest and highest indicators across children, educators, regions, and nationally. This analysis was conducted using a web-based spreadsheet program, Google Sheets, which is part of the Google Drive office suite." Level 2 - organizational and methodological monitoring focused on evaluating the methodological and organizational aspects of the educational process as fundamental factors in preventing negative impacts on children’s mental health. This was conducted using an electronic form developed in Google Forms, utilizing the Google Sheets web-based spreadsheet program, which is part of the Google Drive office suite. Level 3 - monitoring the quality of the educational process in early childhood education institutions using the ECERS-3 methodology, which allows for the analysis of comfort levels, developmental conditions, safety, and support for the mental health of preschool children. This involves an electronic Google Form equivalent to the paper-based ECERS-3 assessment; automatic calculations are performed according to the formulas specified by the international ECERS-3 methodology (Harms et al., 2020). Results: The study of the development of senior preschool children, based on the analysis of key domains through regular psychological and pedagogical observations and the use of diagnostic tools over a period of five months, enabled the identification of early signs of stress, anxiety, and other emotional manifestations. This assessment facilitated the evaluation of children's mental health and the development of a system of effective interventions to address the identified issues. Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of identifying personal characteristics of senior preschool children and developmental gaps across key domains to organize interventions and support measures aimed at preserving mental health, ensuring comprehensive development, and mitigating negative factors in crisis conditions. The results of the multilevel monitoring are valuable for updating educational practices and adapting them to crisis situations. Addressing the identified educational losses and gaps, including those related to social-emotional development and stress resilience, allows for the development of structured programs to counteract negative impacts and facilitate the recovery of preschool children