Ukraine has launched a reform of the residential care system, focusing on European standards of care for people with disabilities and the elderly. The outdated residential care system does not provide the necessary conditions for them to live independently in communities, which is one of the reasons for the transformation.
According to the Ministry of Social Policy, the country is home to more than three million people with disabilities, and the number of people placed in residential care facilities is growing every year. In 2023, this figure reached 5,507 people, which is 76% more than in 2020. Amid demographic changes, it is expected that by 2035, one in five Ukrainians will be over 65 years old.
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The reform envisages a transition to a system that supports independent living in communities, the development of social services and alternative forms of support. These measures are in line with Ukraine’s international commitments as part of its European integration.
‘Our task is to create conditions that will ensure independent living for people with disabilities and the elderly in communities. This will become the basis for the gradual transformation of boarding schools,’ said Uliana Tokareva, Deputy Minister of Social Policy, during the conference.
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The implementation of the reform is based on the Deinstitutionalisation Strategy, which includes five key areas
- creation of legislative conditions for independent living in communities
- economic integration of people with disabilities and the elderly;
- development of services in communities;
- changing public attitudes towards people with disabilities;
- transformation of residential institutions.
The document governing the reform was developed with the participation of civil society and international organisations. It aims to make the transition to the new system as efficient as possible.
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