Order of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine № 260-H “On Approval of the Procedure for monitoring the conditions of care for children and persons temporarily displaced (evacuated) abroad from institutions of various types, forms of ownership, and subordination, as well as children in family-based care”

This Procedure regulates the processes, rights, and responsibilities of the responsible bodies regarding monitoring the conditions of care, upbringing, and supervision for children and individuals temporarily displaced (evacuated) outside Ukraine. It covers not only children from orphanages and institutions of various ownership forms but also those raised in family-based care settings, including foster families, family-type homes, and patronage families. The Procedure also applies to orphans, children deprived of parental care, and individuals who reached adulthood during evacuation.

The monitoring aims to collect and analyze information on living conditions, access to basic services, socialization levels, and the safety of such children and individuals, as well as to develop recommendations to protect their best interests. The main participants in the monitoring process include the Ministry of Social Policy, the National Social Service of Ukraine, regional and Kyiv city administrations, child services, and representatives of the institutions and families housing the evacuated children. A critical component is the involvement of diplomatic missions and international organizations to coordinate and conduct monitoring activities abroad.

The monitoring process comprises several stages: preparatory, data collection, analysis, summarization, and recommendations. At each stage, specialists assess living conditions, access to educational and healthcare services, and support for maintaining family connections. In cases of emergencies or threats to the children’s lives and health, an urgent monitoring procedure involving a broad range of experts is initiated.

This Procedure was adopted in response to martial law in Ukraine, which has led to the evacuation of many children abroad. It aims to ensure oversight of their welfare and protection of their rights, even while they are outside Ukraine, which is a crucial task for the social sector amid the humanitarian crisis.