A new strategy for supporting orphans and children deprived of parental care is being developed in Ukraine

With the beginning of a full-scale invasion in Ukraine, the issue of child protection has become especially urgent. The war not only destroyed cities and homes, but also deprived thousands of children of the opportunity to live in stable and safe conditions. Many of them lost their parents or found themselves in such life circumstances where their parents could no longer take care of them properly.

According to the statistics of the project “Monitoring the needs and support of children in conditions of war”, carried out by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), at the beginning of the Russian invasion, there were more than 67 thousand orphans and children deprived of parental care in Ukraine. This figure shows not only the scale of the problem, but also the need for decisive action on the part of society and the state.

Children who fall into difficult life circumstances especially need attention, support and love. Society should more actively conduct a dialogue on the prevention of orphanhood, including social orphanhood, which often arises as a result of poverty, family violence or other crisis situations. It is also important to spread information about family forms of upbringing, because a child who grows up in a foster family or a family-type orphanage has a better chance of a happy life than one who is in a boarding school. The topic of reform of the institutional system of raising children, which is currently being actively discussed in Ukraine, is key to ensuring their future.

Boarding schools: solving the problem or deepening it?

Boarding schools have always been a controversial topic. On the one hand, it is a place where children receive food, shelter and education. However, on a social level, a boarding school cannot give a child what he needs most – a sense of family care and support. Children who grow up in institutions are often deprived of the emotional connection that is fundamental to their development. Boarding schools cannot teach a child how a family functions, what the role of parents in life is, what love, protection and interaction are.

Pupils of boarding schools often experience isolation, emotional hunger and social rejection. Many of them not only have difficulties with emotional development and communication, but also become victims of cruelty, humiliation or even violence. In some cases, such children may end up in criminal groups, become objects of exploitation or even human trafficking. Boarding schools create a closed environment that isolates children from the rest of society, depriving them of the skills necessary for integration into adult life.

According to one of the studies, 76% of Ukrainians consider residential institutions necessary. However, if these people knew about alternative forms of family upbringing, this indicator could be significantly reduced. It is worth remembering that the institutional system is a system of the past, and it must be reformed. 83% of surveyed Ukrainians admitted that it is necessary to radically revise the approaches to the education of orphans and children deprived of parental care, because family forms provide the child with much more opportunities for development and adaptation.

European experience: a step towards change

In the countries of the European Union, it has long been recognized that the best environment for a child is the family. A child should grow up surrounded by loving adults who will provide for him not only materially, but also emotionally. In connection with the fact that Ukraine received the status of a candidate for joining the EU, this opens up new opportunities for reforming the institutional system of raising children and introducing European approaches.

Today, with the support of the European Commission, Ukraine is working on a deinstitutionalization strategy, which involves a gradual reduction in the number of residential institutions and a transition to family forms of education. This decision is extremely important for the preservation of human capital and the realization of the right of every child to a happy childhood in the family circle. According to the European Commission, Ukraine has one of the highest rates of institutionalization of children in the world – about 1.5% of all children live in boarding schools. This means that more than 100,000 children lose the opportunity to grow up in a family environment.

Family forms of upbringing: the way to harmonious development

When biological parents cannot provide a child with proper upbringing, alternative forms of family upbringing come to the rescue.

In Ukraine, there are several such forms, each of which has its own characteristics:

1. Adoption: when a child is accepted into a family with the rights of a native. Adoption gives the child a chance to feel part of the family, and the new parents receive all the rights and responsibilities regarding upbringing.
2. Custody and guardianship: this is the establishment of legal relations between a child and adults who ensure his development and upbringing. Any adult who has no criminal record and is able to fulfill the responsibilities of upbringing can become a guardian.
3. Foster family: This is a form of parenting where foster parents voluntarily take responsibility for raising 1 to 4 orphans or children deprived of parental care. Foster families create conditions that are as close as possible to the family environment.
4. Family-type orphanage: when one family takes in more than 5 children. This allows maintaining family ties between brothers and sisters and gives children the opportunity to grow up together.
5. Foster family: This is a temporary form of parenting that involves caring for a child for up to three months, after which the child is returned to the biological family or given up for adoption.

Who can become adoptive parents?

An able-bodied couple or an individual who wants to give a child a new chance for a happy life can become foster parents. The state supports such families, providing them with financial assistance, social support and protection of the rights of orphans. However, the most important thing is the desire of parents to give love and care.

The number of people wanting to become foster parents increased significantly after the war began. People come with different motives: someone wants to give a child a new life, someone has their own experience of upbringing in foster families and wants to help other children. However, one should not forget about the disturbing trend – some people take their children for education in order to avoid mobilization.

Over time, when family forms of education become more popular, we will see how children will get a chance for a better future.