Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Oksana Zholnovych said , that since the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 13 thousand children have been recognized as orphans or children deprived of parental care. 

"Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, more than 13 thousand children have been granted the status of an orphan or a child deprived of parental care. These are children who have been orphaned in various ways or, for example, their parents are in captivity or in a russian prison," Zholnovych said.

She added that at least 4,000 children in Ukraine are left without parental care every year. According to the minister, such children usually end up in orphanages or shelters until the guardianship authority determines their legal status. However, instead of staying in special institutions, there is an alternative - living with relatives (grandparents, aunts, etc.).

Zholnovych notes that previously the state did not provide relatives with child support payments for the period of determining this status, which can take up to six months. Now this will change.

"Recently, the government has decided to provide assistance to children temporarily deprived of parental care," the Minister of Social Policy emphasized.

We shall remind you that the Cabinet of Ministers recently adopted amendments to the legal framework, which simplify the process of adoption and placement of orphans and children deprived of parental care in new families.