World Vision Publishes NEW BRIEFING "Beyond Return: Child and Family Wellbeing among Refugee and IDP Returnees in Ukraine and Syria"

This briefing, published by World Vision, brings you the voices and experiences of some caregivers and young people navigating return and reintegration in Ukraine and Syria.

Return has enabled many families to reunite with loved ones, reconnect with their communities and regain a sense of belonging, but it has often not marked the end of vulnerability or humanitarian need.

While the types and severity of reintegration challenges differ considerably between Ukraine and Syria, the broader conclusion is the same: return does not equal recovery, with children’s wellbeing depending not on the act of return itself, but on the conditions they return to. Children continue to face challenges affecting their safety, wellbeing, learning and future opportunities, although the nature of these challenges differ significantly between the two contexts examined.

The findings reinforce that success should not be measured by the number of people who return, but by whether children and families are able to rebuild safe, healthy and dignified lives once they arrive.

The research also highlights the often-overlooked role of women in sustaining family recovery after return. Many women, particularly those heading households, described carrying the responsibility of securing food, caring for children, supporting their emotional wellbeing, and helping families adapt to difficult living conditions despite facing significant economic and psychosocial pressures themselves.

The report includes recommendations to donors, governments, UN agencies and humanitarian partners to invest in the conditions that make return safe, dignified and sustainable. This includes increasing flexible, multi-year funding; strengthening access to education, healthcare, child protection and mental health services; supporting livelihoods and local systems; and ensuring that the voices and best interests of children remain at the centre of all return and reintegration efforts.

Download paper at the link here or attachement below: https://www.wvi.org/publications/policy-briefing/beyond-return-child-and-family-wellbeing-among-refugee-and-idp