Community center in Chernihiv

The child's story:

Name: Nadia
Age: 11 years
Status: Half-orphan
The names are fictional, but the ages are approximate. For the protection of the children and confidentiality, we do not include photos.

Nadia visited the Day Center for the first time on December 5, 2022. From the very beginning, she showed herself to be a very open and sociable girl. Her mother brought her to the Day Center after learning about it from a social worker at school. In the first weeks, her behavior remained unchanged as she quickly established rapport with the other children and teachers. However, over time, we noticed a significant need for attention from Nadia. This need grew stronger each day, as she tried to do things and take on tasks to seek attention. In order to understand the situation better, we started exploring her story.

Nadia grew up in a loving and happy family where her parents, especially her father, devoted a lot of time to her. They enjoyed activities together, such as fishing and playing football, and her father supported and showed interest in her upbringing. Her mother didn't have to work as her father provided for the whole family.

However, everything changed two years ago when Nadia's father passed away due to a blood clot. It was a devastating blow for the family. Nadia became withdrawn, stopped communicating with others, including her peers and her mother. With her mother having to work, there wasn't enough time for them to connect. Gradually, Nadia began to open up, started attending school, and established communication with friends, but the need for attention remained.

During the Day Center classes, Nadia is not yet ready to share her story. It seems like she has buried it inside in an attempt to forget. We approach the topic with great delicacy and have adjusted our approach to give her responsibilities so she feels important and needed.