Last year, Ukrainians residing within Ukraine gained a new opportunity to adopt children evacuated abroad from institutional care. According to the Ministry of Social Policy, these children left their country due to Russia’s invasion, and currently, over 2,000 of them are abroad. Recently, the government approved a resolution developed by the Ministry of Social Policy that improves the mechanism for returning children to Ukraine, with special attention to returning children to family care.
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Who can adopt an evacuated child:
Adoptive parents must be Ukrainian citizens who permanently reside in Ukraine, excluding areas close to the combat zone. Foreigners and Ukrainians who temporarily or permanently live abroad or in occupied territories are not eligible to be adoptive parents.
First steps for adoption:
- Submission of application and documents: The family or individual planning to adopt must submit an application and a package of documents, complete training, and obtain the relevant certificate.
- Obtaining information about the child: Information about evacuated children can be obtained from child protection services at regional and Kyiv city state administrations, as well as from the State Service for Children of Ukraine.
- Meeting the child: After receiving information about the child, the adoptive candidate receives an invitation for a meeting. The child’s documents, including medical records, are provided by a child protection service worker.
Procedure for meeting the child:
- Online meeting: Initially, an online meeting may be arranged with the consent of the adoptive candidates.
- Personal meeting: A mandatory personal meeting with the child takes place in the country of the child’s temporary residence. If one spouse is restricted from traveling abroad, they can meet the child online, while the other spouse must travel to meet the child.
Returning the child from abroad:
After a successful meeting and establishing guardianship/custody, the child can be placed with the family before the court decision is made. Additional training for candidates is not required. Guardianship is established for three months and can be extended until the court decision is issued. During these three months, candidates must submit an adoption application to the court.
A health assessment of the child, including their physical and mental development, can be completed after the child returns to Ukraine.
This new adoption mechanism provides Ukrainians with the opportunity to offer a loving home to children who have endured difficult times and to ensure them a stable and caring environment.
