Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine has caused countless tragedies. One of the most terrible is the stolen childhood of Ukrainian children. Children who are deported to the Russian Federation and forcibly displaced to temporarily occupied territories are forced to forget their homeland and native language, erasing their Ukrainian identity. This also applies to families who live in constant fear under the pressure of the occupying authorities, in conditions of militarisation of the education system and the creation of a number of camps “for re-education” of children. Under the pretext of health and recreation, “rescue” from the occupier himself, children are kidnapped and not returned to their parents.
Ukraine is fighting to save and return every Ukrainian child.
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On 31 May 2023, on the initiative of the President of Ukraine, the first Child Rights Protection Centre was opened in Kyiv within the structure of the Ombudsman’s Office. It is a space for helping children who have returned from deportation or the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The main goal of the Centre is to provide comprehensive assistance to returned children in a child-friendly and safe environment, including psychological support, legal and social support, needs assessment and, on this basis, the development of a strategy for adaptation and reintegration.
The Centre’s specialists work with government agencies, international organisations and human rights defenders. One of its key functions is to document and record violations of the rights of children affected by military action and occupation.
Surveys, psychological assistance and support are provided by all involved specialists simultaneously and in one place, where the environment is as favourable as possible for the child. It is a place where children can feel safe again. The Centre operates using the Barnahus model standards.
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If a child has suffered violence or witnessed a crime, the Centre has created conditions to avoid direct contact with law enforcement officers. Instead, a psychologist conducts the conversation, adapts the investigators’ questions, determines the child’s readiness to talk and assesses their overall psychological and emotional state. All this helps to minimise the risk of retraumatisation and makes it easier for the child to talk about what they have been through.
For each returned child, there is an interagency team of specialists responsible for the rehabilitation and reintegration of children. This may include medical assistance, restoration of documents, psychological support, finding housing, humanitarian aid, and organising education. Assistance can be emergency, short-term, or long-term, depending on the child’s needs.
Bringing children back is first and foremost about rescue. To date, 1,399 children have been returned from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and the Russian Federation as part of the Ukrainian President’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
Behind each number is a name and a story. Ukraine will continue to do everything possible to ensure that no child is left alone with their pain and that every child regains a sense of security, support and hope.
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