A strategic session was held in the Lviv region to develop the Regional Action Plan for 2024-2026 as part of Ukraine’s National Strategy for Ensuring Every Child’s Right to Grow Up in a Family Environment. The event took place on December 23, bringing together local authorities, NGOs, social services, and educators.
Priorities and Objectives
Key goals discussed by participants included:
- Creating a safe environment for every child;
- Promoting family-based care;
- Developing effective support systems for orphans and children deprived of parental care.
Opening Remarks
Deputy Head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration (OVA), Ivan Sobko, said:
“Today’s meeting serves as a platform for open dialogue and finding solutions to improve children’s lives. We aim to create a strategic document that unites the efforts of authorities, NGOs, educators, and social workers to drive meaningful change.”
Deputy Head of OVA, Khrystyna Zamula, added:
“It is our shared responsibility to ensure that every child feels the warmth, care, and protection of a family. This is not just a social mission but our obligation to future generations.”
Key Topics Discussed
The session addressed the following critical topics:
- Implementing the Strategy:
- Overview of regional initiatives;
- Recommendations for ensuring orphans and children without parental care can grow up in a family environment.
- Social Investments:
- How developing social services boosts community development.
- Care System Reform:
- Strengthening family-based care in the Lviv region.
- Lessons from International Partners:
- Insights from the NGO “Partnership for Every Child” on reforming child care systems in the Lviv region.
Head of the Children’s Services Department of the Lviv OVA, Volodymyr Lys, emphasized:
“Our primary goal is to ensure that children grow up in a family environment and eliminate the practice of placing children in institutional care.”
Event Organizers
The consultations were organized by the Lviv Regional State Administration in partnership with the Coordination Center for Family-Based Care Development, UNICEF Ukraine, and the charity foundation “Ridni.”