Key points:
- The Ministry of Health has approved a new list of diseases and conditions that are grounds for refusal of adoption, guardianship, foster care, and other forms of family upbringing.
- It came into force on February 3, 2026.
- The document defines medical criteria for adult candidates and minor family members who will live with the child.
- The list contains clear medical criteria and conditions for refusal.
- In certain cases, an individual medical assessment is provided, taking into account the course of the disease and the conclusions of doctors.
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has approved a new list of diseases, disorders, and conditions that prevent individuals from adopting children or taking them into foster care or guardianship, creating foster families and family-type children’s homes, providing guardianship services, mentoring, or living with a foster child.
The relevant decision was adopted by Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 1949 of December 24, 2025, registered with the Ministry of Justice and effective as of February 3, 2026.
The updated document clearly distinguishes between the medical criteria for adults who intend to adopt or take a child into care and for minor family members who will live with the child.
The list is based on clear medical criteria and contains not only the names of diseases, but also the conditions under which a specific condition, disorder, or disease is grounds for refusal.
It is noted that for the purpose of standardizing approaches, the codes of the National Classification of Diseases NK 025:2021 “Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems” are used.
The list of diseases taken into account includes:
- infectious and socially significant diseases – in certain active or severe forms;
- severe mental disorders, including those caused by the use of psychoactive substances;
- certain neurological diseases;
- oncological diseases in the late stages or before the completion of a full course of radical treatment;
- conditions requiring constant outside care.
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that in some cases, an individual approach is provided, taking into account the course of the disease, the presence of remission, the results of examinations, and the conclusions of specialized doctors.
Health assessments will be carried out by doctors of the relevant specialties in accordance with the criteria approved by the List. In some cases, the conclusion of an expert team assessing the person’s daily functioning will also be taken into account.
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