Study warns of Ukrainian refugee children in the UK losing native language
Rapid decline in language skills raises concerns among researchers
A new study reveals that Ukrainian refugee children in the UK are at risk of losing their mother tongue amid the ongoing adaptation to English-speaking environments.
Four years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, millions remain displaced worldwide, with 230,000 living in the UK, including around 34,000 children.
Research from the University of York, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the British Academy, shows rapid language decline among these children.
The project, "Negotiating Multilingualism in Situations of Conflict," assessed the language abilities of 100 Ukrainian child refugees.
After just 12 months in the UK, many exhibited strong English skills but struggled with Ukrainian fluency, leading to difficulties in recalling basic vocabulary.
Professor Monika Schmid from the University of York highlights the importance of exercising linguistic "muscle memory," explaining that children’s linguistic knowledge remains vulnerable to rapid loss until around the age of 12.
She elaborated on the urgency of supporting Ukrainian refugee children in maintaining their native language alongside English, stating that without targeted interventions and increased awareness among families and schools, these linguistic skills might be permanently lost.
The implications of language loss extend beyond individual abilities, affecting long-term family communications, especially if close relatives in Ukraine do not speak English.
Researchers caution that once lost in early life, language recovery becomes challenging, potentially impacting future efforts to contribute to rebuilding Ukrainian communities after the conflict ends.
Professor Schmid emphasises the urgency of focused programmes to preserve the Ukrainian language for refugee children, ensuring they retain this vital aspect of their identity.
The study has begun a second phase of fieldwork to gather insights on changes in children's language skills over the past two years, aiming to inform strategies for preserving native language proficiency.