Art Therapy Methods in Socio-Pedagogical Work With Forced Migrant Children

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to summarise the experience of using art therapy in social and pedagogical activities with forced migrant children, to identify the peculiarities of its impact on children at SpilnoHub Krakow project. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The research problem is the question: how does art therapy affect forced migrant children? The methods were theoretical analysis of the literature on the subject, the counselling NGO’s materials, and experimental checking of using art therapy techniques in working with forced migrant children. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The study identifies specific problems that arise in children from families of forced migrants. The features of art therapy as a method of psychotherapy, which, through the process of creativity, enable a person to improve his or her psycho-emotional state, are determined. The experience of using art therapy techniques in working with migrant children is summarised. RESEARCH RESULTS: Art therapy in the work with forced migrant children is a leading tool in the work of both NGOs and local social institutions, but it is usually used in combination with other tools of social and psychological support. CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND APPLICABLE VALUE OF RESEARCH: There is a lack of empirically proven results of its impact at different stages of adaptation of forced mi- grant children to a new sociocultural environment. We consider group work with families with children who have approximately the same list of problems to be a promising area of research in the field of art therapy.