A New Social Service for Comprehensive Development and Care of Children with Disabilities Launches in Ukraine

The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine is launching a pilot project for the procurement of a social service focused on the comprehensive development and care of children with disabilities.

The project will run for two years. The relevant resolution has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

The goal of the service is to promote social integration and development for children aged six and older who, due to their health condition, cannot attend general secondary education institutions on a full-time basis.

"Most children with disabilities can attend school, but due to a lack of adequate support, children with complex impairments are often forced to stay at home. This service is specifically designed for these children and their parents. Its implementation will not only prevent such children from being placed in institutional care but also foster greater societal acceptance of children with various disabilities. Importantly, it will provide much-needed support to parents, allowing them to return to the labor market or take a break from the incredibly demanding daily caregiving responsibilities," said Oksana Zholnovych, Minister of Social Policy.

The primary objective of the service is to integrate children into the educational process, enabling them to develop skills and socially adapt. Under the project, social services are to be provided alongside educational ones. The service targets children with special educational needs requiring a support level no lower than the fourth tier.

The pilot project will be funded by the state budget: the national procurement agency (the Social Protection Fund for Persons with Disabilities) will pay service providers that meet the specified requirements. Interested communities must submit an application and ensure certain conditions for participation, including:

• assessing the community's need for the service;
• preparing the premises where the service will be provided (ideally within or near a school to facilitate seamless integration into the educational process);
• selecting providers through an open competition;
• arranging specially equipped transportation for children to and from the service location;
• providing co-financing for the service, covering utilities and children's meals;
• appointing a social manager to oversee service provision, coordinate project participants, and monitor service quality.

Service providers can include legal entities or individual entrepreneurs who:

• are registered in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs, and Non-Governmental Organizations;
• are listed in the Register of Social Service Providers and Recipients;
• have the necessary specialists (social workers, educators, psychologists, physical rehabilitation specialists, and social care workers).

The premises where the service is provided must be equipped with video cameras allowing parents online access.

Parents or legal guardians of children with disabilities should contact local authorities (social managers) to access the service. Potential recipients must undergo an Individual Rehabilitation Plan (IRP) assessment and receive a conclusion confirming a required support level of at least tier four.

The project follows a new approach to social policy formation, shifting from institutional funding to purchasing social services from providers regardless of ownership. The service fee is set at UAH 24,000 per child per month. Providers may receive incentive payments if certain benchmarks are met (e.g., consistent school attendance by children)

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