Exceeding expectations: Ukraine already has 559 foster families who support over a thousand children in difficult life circumstances

The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine reports the successful engagement of 559 foster families who provide temporary care for children in difficult life circumstances. This exceeds the initial plans of the "Family for Every Child" project, as 500 families were expected by the end of July 2025.

Currently, 1065 children are living in these families, but the need for family-based care remains significant – about 7,000 children annually require temporary alternative care.

This is reported by the Ministry of Social Policy, writes UNN.

Details

The project "Family for Every Child: Development of Family Patronage," implemented by the Ministry of Social Policy in cooperation with UNICEF Ukraine and other partners, shows positive results. As of the end of July 2025, 559 foster families are registered in Ukraine, temporarily taking in children who find themselves in difficult life circumstances – this is 59 more than the planned number.

These families currently host 1065 children, who receive the necessary support and the opportunity to live in a warm home environment. The leaders in the number of foster families are the following regions: 

• Kharkiv (60 families);
• Cherkasy (53);
• Zhytomyr (43);
• Dnipropetrovsk (38);
• Chernihiv (36).

However, the need for foster families remains high – about 7,000 children annually require temporary alternative care. Therefore, the project continues its activities aimed at increasing the number of families and expanding children's access to a safe and family environment.

Statistics confirm the effectiveness of the foster care system: out of 1529 children who completed their stay in foster care since the beginning of last year, 96% did not enter institutional facilities, which indicates the preservation of the family circle and better conditions for child development.