Project “Strengthening Comprehensive Reintegration Support for Returning Children”

The project “Strengthening Comprehensive Reintegration Support for Returning Children” is supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and implemented by a consortium of partner organizations with financial support from Canada, Norway and the United States of America. The project is implemented within the reintegration component of the President of Ukraine’s “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative, in partnership with the Coordination Center for the Development of Family-Based Upbringing and Child Care, in support of Goal 3 of the Strategy to ensure every child’s right in Ukraine to grow up in a family environment

The consortium includes: CSO “Ukrainian Network for Children’s Rights”, ICF “SOS Children’s Villages” Ukraine, ICF “Ukrainian Foundation for Public Health”, NGO “League of Social Workers of Ukraine”, CF “Save Ukraine”, and CF “Voices of Children”.

Within this project, it is planned to establish a unified system of support for the integration/reintegration of children from vulnerable families who have returned, which will involve all stakeholders at the national, regional, and local levels, including:

● Creation of an effective system of coordination for the reintegration of children and their families returning to Ukraine.
● Development of a single model of support for the reintegration of the child and their family, in accordance with the best interests of the child.
● Measures for the integration/reintegration of children and their families into host communities.
● A cycle of training for social work specialists, case managers, specialists of educational and medical institutions, and social service providers of various levels who plan and support the reintegration of children at the community level.
● Strengthening the capacity of specialists of mobile teams in communities (educators, psychologists, social workers) through training of trainers on redirection and interdisciplinary cooperation to support returned children and create conditions for their integration/reintegration.
● Implementation of social integration and reintegration services in host communities and other social services, in accordance with the needs outlined in the reintegration plan.
● Community sensitisation and outreach in communities welcoming children back, to fight stigmatisation and promote long-term support, building linkages with ongoing decentralised Better Care Reform programmes, notably those supported by UNICEF.
● Providing expert support to the Coordination Center for Family Upbringing and Childcare Development of Ukraine in increasing the capacity of specialists, developing comprehensive reintegration plans for children returned to Ukraine, replicating experience in other regions/communities, and developing analytical products, etc.
● Monitoring and evaluation of reintegration programs, conducting research and preparing analytical products, documenting experience, sharing knowledge and best practices.

Duration: June 2, 2025 – December 1, 2026

Geography: Ukraine