Today, on 29 September, the Government adopted a resolution establishing the State Service for Children. This Service, as a central executive body, will implement state policy in the field of child protection, social support for families with children, and the development of family-based forms of upbringing and adoption. Today, there are more than 7.5 million children in Ukraine, all of whom are affected by russian aggression. Also, more than 65,000 children in Ukraine are orphans or deprived of parental care. Regardless of whether they are brought up in their biological or foster families, they all need social support.

"Today, we have created a body that will ensure the rights of every child, including their right to live in a family, and the quality of work of institutions and bodies responsible for child care. Ukraine is not a country for boarding schools, as our President rightly noted. Therefore, we are strengthening the coordination of executive authorities, local governments, and children's services so that every child can feel parental love," said Oksana Zholnovych, Minister of Social Policy.

Among the key tasks of the newly created State Service for Children is to coordinate the provision of social support and social services to families with children (including those under guardianship or custody), foster families, families of foster carers, family-type children's homes, and adoptive parents.

The Service will also monitor compliance with child protection legislation by local executive authorities and local self-government bodies, enterprises, institutions and organisations, as well as individuals. Specialists in more than 1,400 territorial communities in Ukraine will have access to methodological assistance in establishing an effective child protection system in the community.

In addition, the Service will work directly with Ukraine's diplomatic missions abroad to ensure that the rights of Ukrainian children are respected and that they are returned to their homeland.