Over 15,000 children left without parental care: how the war has changed the adoption process in Ukraine
28 August 2024 20:40
Despite the war, the adoption process in Ukraine continues, although it has undergone significant changes. Over the two and a half years of the full-scale invasion, more than 15,000 children have been left without parental care, but only 2,000 of them have found new families. Read more [Kommersant]darya Kasyanova, chairman of the board of the Ukrainian Child Rights Network, told "Komersant Ukrainian".
Daria Kasyanova noted that since February 2022, Ukrainians have shown great interest in adoption. The war has become a catalyst for the desire of many people to adopt children into their families, especially those who have lost their parents due to the hostilities. However, children who lost their parents for social reasons remain the most vulnerable and in need of family warmth.
“When a child loses his or her parents because of the war, relatives usually quickly arrange guardianship. This became possible due to changes in legislation introduced in the summer of 2022. However, children deprived of parental care for social reasons remain the most needy,” the human rights activist stressed.
One of the main requirements for adoptive parents is to have a steady income and a place of residence. It is important that it is not necessary to have your own apartment for adoption, an official lease agreement is enough. In addition, adoptive parents must undergo special training, during which experts assess their readiness for this step.
“People who want to adopt a child must be mentally and psychologically prepared. Sometimes, during the training, psychologists may recommend postponing the adoption if they see that the family is not ready,” says Kasyanova.
As for international adoption, it is currently suspended. This is due to the fact that in times of war, it is difficult to establish all the circumstances surrounding a child, including the whereabouts of his or her parents or other relatives.
“International organisations have asked our government to suspend inter-country adoptions to avoid possible violations of children’s rights. Under the current circumstances, we cannot always know exactly what happened to the child’s parents, and this creates additional risks,” she concluded.
