Ukraine and Germany discuss support for children and voluntary return of Ukrainians: Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity

Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine Denys Uliutin met with Karin Prien, Germany’s Federal Minister for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. It was Minister Prien’s first visit to Ukraine – an important sign of Germany’s solidarity and of the value of direct dialogue on shared challenges and solutions.

One area for further cooperation is support for children affected by war and deportation, including trauma-informed care. Minister Uliutin presented Ukraine’s new social service for children returning from deportation. It provides three consecutive stages of support: stabilisation during the first three months after return, adaptation and development over the following six months, and further reintegration support. Based on the pilot, Ukraine plans to develop a national standard for the service and scale it up.

“We want the experience Ukraine is gaining today to be useful to other countries as well. At the same time, Germany’s experience is extremely important to us, particularly in child protection and violence prevention,” Denys Uliutin said.

The parties also discussed support for Ukrainians living in Germany and creating conditions for their voluntary return to Ukraine. “Our task is to ensure that this partnership works for the future – helping people overcome the consequences of war, return, rebuild their lives and strengthen their communities,” the Minister said.