Rising malnutrition, children being forced to work and pressure on water supplies are just some of the problems facing displaced families as the conflict in the southern Philippines enters its third month.
Unless more is done to combat this and create a map for recovery, UNICEF warns the "road to peace" will be much longer.
An estimated 360,000 to 400,000 people have been displaced by the fighting that began in Marawi City on May 23 following a bungled raid on Islamic State-linked militants.
Camps are scattered along the 40km stretch from Marawi to Ilegan in the north - some as small as 10, others home to thousands.
Of those displaced around 150,000 are children - about 23,000 of whom have not reported back to school, UNICEF Philippines Representative Lotta Sylwander said.
Some have been forced to work to support their families who lost their businesses.
For children whose fathers where killed while fighting or protecting their property, there is an added trauma.
"They haven't seen the dead bodies of their father's ... They are told they no longer have a father but apart of his absence there is no proof," Ms Sylwander said.
"One thing that disturbs me a lot ... is that we are seeing more and more children severely malnourished."
She said "not enough is being done" to plan for what happens when the conflict is over.
In Marawi city many schools are believed to be "completely obliterated", while land ownership issues are prevalent.
"Nobody has a job, they are not tilling their fields, they are not fishing ... Are they going to be left as internally displaced people to live on handouts?"
Unless these issues are tackled "the cost would be a much, much longer road to peace", she warns.
In a report in July, the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict called for urgent attention to be paid to this space, warning resentment would provide more fertile ground for extremist recruitment.
Following her meeting with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila on Monday, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced a $20 million package.
The money, spread over four years, will support those who fled the conflict, counter violent extremism and fund technical assistance for the recovery and reconstruction of the city.
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