This paper will present reflections upon the use of photo-elicitation as a method for capturing the day-to-day lives of families of disabled children in Ukraine at a time of conflict. In recent years, the Ukrainian government has committed to transforming the national care system for children as outlined in The National Strategy of Reforming the System of Institutional Care and Upbringing of Children (2017-2026). However, due to uncertainty in times of war, responses to this strategy have changed and the absence of consistent and accessible support for families of disabled chil-dren has led to a growing network of self-help and advocacy groups, established and run by par-ents. Many of these groups are supported by Disability Rights International (Ukraine), a human rights advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and full community inclusion of children and adults with disabilities. Working within the UKRI/unicef framework on Ethical Research in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Contexts (2021), a photo-elicitation project was designed between researchers at Edge Hill Uni-versity and the Director of the Ukraine Rapid Response team of Disability Rights International with a view to capturing the lived experiences of the families of children with disabilities. Whilst questionnaire-based research has been undertaken with the parents of children with disabilities in Ukraine (Telna, et al., 2021), this methodology was selected to be more accessible for those par-ticipating in the research, and those engaging with the research outputs. In this way, seeking out the way in which meaning is co-constructed using visual representations, discoveries can be made about how images ‘embody and enfold people into particular ideologies’ (Stockall, 2013: 31). An additional value of using a photograph is that it can prick the conscience of the viewer, asking them to reflect on what they think and do. When analysing images, Barthes (1980, 1984) draws our attention to conceptualisations of studium (the element that creates interest in a photographic image) and punctum (the element that jumps out at the viewer from within a photograph). These concepts will be discussed in this presentation.

Barthes, R. (1980) Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography. Translated by Richard Howard. New York: Hill and Wang. Barthes, R. (1984) Camera Lucida. London: Harper Collins. Stockall, N. (2013) Photo-elicitation and Visual Semiotics: A Unique Methodology for Studying Inclusion for Children with Disabilities. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 17 (3):310–328. UKRI/unicef (2021) Ethical research in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Available at: UKRI-161121-Ethical-Research-in-Fragile-and-Conflict-Affected-Contexts-Guidelines-for-Applicants.pdf Telna, O., Klopota, Y., Klopota, O. and Okolovych, O. (2021) Inclusive Education in Ukraine: par-ents of Children with Disabilities Perspective. The New Educational Review Vol. 64 pp. 225-235