How children of war end up without guardianship: the case of a single father in Kryvyi Rih
The problems faced by children in wartime often manifest themselves not only on the front or during shelling, but also in everyday life, when families are left without one of their parents due to mobilization or loss of custody. Situations related to the inability to provide a child with proper care can lead to the loss of the home environment and the placement of children in residential institutions, which calls into question the mechanisms of social and legal support for families.
A 43-year-old man was mobilized in Kryvyi Rih, who is raising his 14-year-old son on his own after his wife left the family and went abroad, retaining parental rights. The man came to the Central City Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support (TCK and SP) with a summons to clarify his personal data, after which he no longer contacted the child, who was in need of care due to a broken arm.
According to information from the publication “Svoi. Kryvyi Rih”, the father’s phone was confiscated, and he was kept in the basement of the TCK building. The 14-year-old boy, left without contact with his father and the necessary support, independently contacted the police, reporting his absence.
Due to the lack of contact with his father and the inability to provide proper care for the child, social services decided to place the boy in a children’s institution. In fact, the child was left unattended in a state of psychological trauma, he needed medical care due to a broken arm, as well as support in everyday life and studies.
A court hearing was to be held on February 18, at which the mobilized father was to be recognized as a sole guardian, which could consolidate his responsibility for the child and provide a legal basis for supporting his son. However, the hearing did not take place, as representatives of the guardianship authorities did not arrive, which further complicated the situation and left the child without proper legal protection.
At the same time, the ex-wife was obliged to pay alimony, but her physical absence did not provide actual support for the child, which shows a real gap in the system for ensuring children’s rights during the war.
This situation demonstrates a violation of the law, the imperfection of mobilization mechanisms and state guardianship, which do not take into account the urgent needs of children. Such cases emphasize the need to improve the procedures for interaction between the CCC, guardianship authorities and social services so that children of war do not become victims of systemic negligence.
