We have been overwhelmed by the generosity and compassion of our supporters in response to the invasion of Ukraine and the devastating impact on children and families.
We are working through our local teams in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania, and advocating at global level, to help ensure the 100,000 children in orphanages across Ukraine are protected and not left behind to face this war alone. We are also working on the borders to support children and families escaping Ukraine, manning emergency reception centres and using our expertise in child protection to work with national authorities in a bid to halt a child protection crisis arising across Europe.
You can support our appeal here
Many people around the world have generously contacted us regarding fostering or adopting a Ukrainian child. However, this is not something we can facilitate. Inter-country adoptions should never take place during war, natural disaster or crisis, because they are irreversible, while family may still be traced and reunited.
Most children from Ukrainian orphanages have family members, many of whom maintain legal guardianship of their children. It is vital that every care is taken to maintain family links through documentation and on-going communication with family members as either or both relocate.
Children enter orphanages for many reasons – including poverty and lack of local medical resources. It should never be assumed that children do not have family members. In fact, around the world 80% of children have family members who could look after them with the right support. That’s why no steps should be taken that could undermine family unity.
Hope and Homes for Children supports efforts to sponsor and help refugee families. While we are not able to support with matching refugees with volunteers in the UK, we encourage you to to register with the government led ‘Homes for Ukraine’ initiative.
You can also pledge your support for the humanitarian sponsorship programme at The Sanctuary Foundation which is led by a close collaborator of Hope and Homes for Children, Krish Kandiah. The Sanctuary Foundation will share your details with Reset Communities and Refugees, an organisation that we believe will seek to match registrants with refugees as part of the government scheme.
