How many children in Ukraine have been deprived of parental care since the beginning of the war

Oksana Zholnovych told how many children in Ukraine are deprived of parental care

photo from the archive of Oksana Zholnovich

From since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine, more than 13 thousand children acquired the status of an orphan or a child deprived of parental care.

About this stated the Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine, Oksana Zholnovich, on the telethon “Edyny Novyny” on April 6.

“Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, more than 13,000 children have acquired the status of an orphan child or a child deprived of parental care. These are children who have been orphaned in various ways or, for example, their parents are in captivity or in a Russian prison.”Zholnovich noted.

According to her data, at least 4,000 children are left without parental care in Ukraine every year.

Usually, such children end up in orphanages or shelters before the guardianship authority determines their legal status. But instead of staying in special institutions, a possible alternative is staying with relatives (grandparents, aunts, etc.).

According to Zholnovich, previously the state for the period of determining this status, which can take up to six months, did not provide her family with child support payments. Now that will change.

“Recently, the government made a decision to provide assistance to children who are temporarily deprived of parental care”the minister added.

It will be recalled that in March the government announced that simplified adoption procedure.