Educational strategies to support the inclusion of displaced pupils from Ukraine in Italian schools

The war in Ukraine caused a huge number of displaced people in a very short time. Amongst the refugees were many school-age children who needed to continue studying in the schools of the host countries. Host schools and teachers had to arrange inclusive strategies to integrate the displaced pupils. This study analysed the factors that facilitated the inclusion of displaced pupils from Ukraine in Italian schools during the first months of the war. We involved in the study 208 teachers from all Italian areas working at all school levels who welcomed 461 Ukrainian pupils in their classrooms. The teachers completed an online qualitative instrument in which they had the opportunity to describe their experience from a personal and a professional point of view. The findings revealed five main factors that affected the effectiveness of inclusion. On these bases, some educational guidelines are provided to support teachers and schools in arranging successful contexts and actions to welcome and include displaced children.