Needs and Challenges of the Social Reintegration of Young People with Experience of Institutional or Alternative Family Care During the War

This research project was initiated by the State Service of Ukraine for Children. Its objective was to assess the needs of young people with experience of institutional care or alternative family-based care and to identify the support they require for successful adaptation, social integration, and transition to independent living in the context of full-scale war.

The study forms part of the 2024-2026 Operational Plan for implementing the Strategy to Ensure Every Child’s Right to Grow Up in a Family Environment in Ukraine. All research activities were carried out by Social Consulting, including the development of the research methodology, data collection, data analysis, and preparation of analytical outputs. The recommendations based on the findings are intended to contribute to the development of public policy and to improve the support system for young people leaving state care or alternative family-based care.

To ensure that both young people and professionals were heard, we combined quantitative and qualitative research methods. An online survey, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews provided valuable insights into the challenges, barriers, and needs of young people on their path toward independent living.

The project was implemented in close cooperation with key national stakeholders, including the State Service of Ukraine for Children, the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsperson), the Coordination Centre for the Development of Family-Based Care and Child Care, and DIiMO Children and Youth Office under the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine. This collaboration helped bring the issue of social integration of orphans and children deprived of parental care onto the agenda of Ukraine’s leading public institutions.

The project’s impact extended well beyond the publication of its analytical report. Its findings and recommendations were incorporated by the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights into the preparation of the Special Report on the Vulnerability of Children under Martial Law. They were also used by the Coordination Centre for the Development of Family-Based Care and Child Care in updating the State Standard for Social Integration and Reintegration and improving the relevant legal and regulatory framework.

Our analytical papers became not only an evidence base for informed policymaking but also a catalyst for tangible improvements in Ukraine’s system of support for young people with experience of institutional and alternative family-based care.