August 26, the Government approved the "Concept for the implementation of state policy on social protection and protection of children's rights" (hereinafter-the Concept).

The Concept is designed to introduce during 2020-2022 amid the final stage of decentralization an effective model of cooperation between executive authorities and local governments to implement state policy in the field of social protection and protection of children's rights, as well as state control over compliance with legislation in this field.

The concept of implementation of the state policy of social protection envisages:

to establish the National Social Service Service of Ukraine (National Social Service) as a central executive body that implements state policy in the field of social protection, protection of children's rights, state control over compliance with legislation during social support and children's rights (by reorganizing the State Social Service of Ukraine through transformation);

to form territorial departments of the National Social Service at the regional and subregional levels;

to ensure the continuity and consistency of the implementation of state policy in the field of social protection, protection of children's rights;

to avoid duplication of functions on social protection of the population between local executive bodies and local self-government bodies, irrational use of human and financial resources;

to provide a service approach to the provision of social support on the principle of its maximum accessibility for consumers;

to ensure effective control over the observance of the requirements of the legislation during the provision of social support, over the observance of the rights of children.

The approval of the Concept enables the country to shape a clear vector of development of an effective implementation system, to divide powers in the field of social protection and protection of children's rights between local executive bodies and local governments and to provide qualitative social services to the most vulnerable segments of the population in a timely manner.