Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity: Denys Uliutin and UNICEF Director of Child Protection and Migration Sheema Sen Gupta talk over cooperation issues

On November 19, Ukraine's Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity Denys Uliutin met with UNICEF Director of Child Protection and Migration Sheema Sen Gupta.

During the meeting, the parties discussed issues of building a better care system for children and ensuring the right of Ukrainian children to grow up in a family environment, as well as the development of social services, in particular psychosocial support, at the community level.

Denys Uliutin expressed his gratitude to UNICEF for its long-standing support and strategic partnership in implementing reforms.

"We are interested in investing in social services in communities. After all, they should be available right where families live. We hope for UNICEF's continued support in this area. We also call on local authorities to invest, because social workers are the first point of contact with people," said Denis Uliutin.

He also stressed that due to a number of migration and economic factors, the social sector was currently losing specialists. Therefore, it is important to motivate people to work, in particular through training and professional development.

The Minister emphasized the importance of bringing home Ukrainian children who are temporarily staying in European countries.

“We must ensure the safe return of our children, taking into account their individual needs. UNICEF is our key partner in this work,” he added.

Sheema Sen Gupta, in turn, commended Ukraine’s achievements in developing a better care system for children.

"It is extremely inspiring to see reforms being implemented where families and communities live. This is real transformation. I was particularly impressed by the trip to Kharkiv region, where we had the opportunity to talk to local residents and visit the Resilience Center. Thank you for your work and partnership," she said.

In 2026, the state plans to allocate UAH 1 billion to Resilience Centers.

As a reminder, the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity has envisaged an increase in financial support for foster parents and foster carers. Also, on October 1, a new social service for the care and upbringing of orphans and children deprived of parental care in family-like conditions, called “Family Home,” began operating in Ukraine.