Kyiv and UNICEF Are Launching a Joint Campaign to Find Foster Parents and Caretakers

On the occasion of the 75^th anniversary of UNICEF, the city of Kyiv and UNICEF in Ukraine launched a joint information campaign to promote alternative family forms of childcare and to find families who are ready to adopt children. These are foster families, family-type orphanages, etc.

Recruitment of families who are  open to alternative family forms begins as part of a joint project to transform childcare institutions in the city.

The event was joined by Vitali Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv, Philippe Cori, Deputy Director of the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, and Janis McDavid, motivational speaker from Germany, UNICEF Ambassador.

“In the last 3 years alone, eight new family-type orphanages and five foster families have been created in Kyiv. Also, three foster families that provide temporary accommodation for children in difficult life circumstances were created. There is also a city social dormitory for orphaned children and children deprived of parental care in Kyiv. In addition, we decided to set up the Kyiv City Centre for Support of Children and Families. And next year, two more new family-type institutions will be created. A lot has been done. The most precious and important thing in the life of every child is the family. But 180 children in Kyiv still need our help to secure their right to a family. To do this, we need to find potential families, caring parents who are ready to adopt children who have found themselves in difficult living conditions. That is why the project we are presenting together with UNICEF today is extremely relevant and important,” said Vitali Klitschko.

In 2021, almost 2,500 children under the age of 4 across Ukraine stayed in these institutions. At the same time, international standards call for young children to grow up  in families. The implementation of these standards requires multifaceted work: on the one hand, the development of social services, and on the other, alternative family forms of education.

The UNICEF project provides both capacity building for social workers and awareness raising of alternative family upbringing.

“We believe that these are mayors who have the power to make changes in the field of social inclusion and protection of the children’s right to a family. After all, at the community level, it is easier to identify children who need support. UNICEF will continue to support your efforts to protect children’s rights,” said Philippe Cori, Deputy Director of the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia.

“Caring changes” and “Every child has the right to live in a caring family” – these slogans were used to launch the campaign.

The idea of ​​the campaign used quotes from real diaries kept by foster parents and parents who adopt children.

“In 5 months, Nazar has become more confident and alive. Previously, he spoke little and painted only in black. Now he paints in colours and tells me about his successes at school,” reads a diary entry from one of the mothers.

The main symbol of the campaign is the figure of a person that changes colour from black to blue. That is, the picture acquires colour when the child is cared for, helped and supported, reflecting how the child’s life is improving.

The expert content of the information campaign was developed in cooperation with specialists of Kyiv City Service for Children and Families.

Click here to learn more about alternative family forms of education: https://familycare.org.ua/