UNICEF and Czech Red Cross launch financial assistance programme for refugee children with disabilities from Ukraine in the Czech Republic

UNICEF and the Czech Red Cross (CRC) in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA), launched a financial assistance programme to support refugee children from Ukraine with disabilities to meet their basic needs.

“Support to and inclusion of the most vulnerable children are at the core of UNICEF’s refugee response in the Czech Republic. UNICEF is pleased to partner with the Czech Red Cross and MoSLA to support refugee children with disabilities, helping their families cover the additional costs associated with their children’s disability and access services to develop and realize their full potential”, said Yulia Oleinik, head of UNICEF Refugee Response Office in the Czech Republic.

The “Financial Assistance Programme for Refugee Children with Disabilities from Ukraine” will provide a CZK 6,600 (US$ 300) per month to eligible refugee children with disabilities up to the age of 17 (i.e. the child’s 18^th birthday) who have been granted temporary protection in the Czech Republic. This is a similar type of support that Czech children with disabilities receive

"At the heart of our programme is a shared commitment to supporting the most vulnerable children and ensuring that they have the opportunity to thrive. Thanks to our wide members base, we can visit, register and support families meeting the program criteria in every corner of the Czech Republic," said Marek Jukl, President of the Czech Red Cross. The financial assistance programme is expected to last until March 2024.

Over 400 children are already enrolled in the programme and the outreach to eligible families continues. Parents and caregivers of children with a valid temporary protection visa in the Czech Republic can request an appointment to be registered  for the progamme at a location in a regional city or through a home visit at: https://register.unicef.org/cs-cz/register/pre-ecdb and may obtain more information from the programme hotline: +420 277 079 800. A Ukrainian Disability Card and accompanying documents attesting to the child’s disability must be shown in order to be registered for the programme. If these are not available, parents or caregivers can apply for an assesment.

The registration is free of charge. Any request for money should be reported immediately to the programme hotline.