Ukraine

INFORMATIONAL REPORT 2012

Lobbying our strategic initiatives

The projects and developments of previous years allow us to strengthen our impact on the highest level, to lobby our ideology in the childcare system and to disseminate the developed programs and models with the extensive support from our partners and society. The priority of our work is to implement systematic changes which will allow eliminating the causes of issues in childcare system.

Activity directions in the framework of lobbying our strategic initiatives: Needs analysis of the target groups; Development of the national legislation; Scaling our best practices and piloted models; Advocacy on international level.

Results of the year:

1. We have carried out a detailed needs analysis of vulnerable groups of children, determined main trends and created preconditions for the development of the organization’s strategy for next years.

2. In the framework of legislation development, we contributed to creation of the National strategy for prevention of social orphanhood, which was adopted by Presidential Decree. We succeeded in promoting our model of reforming the institutional system, and now this model is considered a basis for implementation of changes in childcare system. Also we prepared a series of analytical materials and proposals of changes to financial legislation.

3. Because of our systematic work on best practices and models dissemination, and work of the Center “Ray of Hope” in particular, we managed to scale this experience to other areas of Ukraine – we started a new project “It Is Good at Home” in Dnipropetrovsk rayon. The project is aimed at complex reform of the childcare system on rayon level.

4. Deinstitutionalization became an international trend: European officials included expenditures on financing programs of reforming childcare in budgets. During this year we strengthened our representation on national and international levels.

Tasks for 20131. Development of methodological and training materials on deinstitutionalization and

services implementation. 2. Informational campaign on deinstitutionalization and the organization’s strategy.3. Development of the strategy of Hope and Homes for Children Ukraine for 2013-

2017.4. Implementation of the project “It Is Good at Home” and promotion of its results.

Capacity building of the ‘Ray of Hope’ CenterThe project is a continuation of the project on development of complex model of social services on rayon level (2006-2012). The center of social support for children and families “Ray of Hope” is successfully providing services for the community members. During the year of its functioning more than 120 people were or still are beneficiaries of the Center; during this year no child from rayon was placed in an institution; 10 children were reintegrated to their families, 2 children – placed in foster care, 8 mothers with 16 children live with their children after leaving the Center.

Project components:^

Інтеграція в громаду

Розвиток персоналу

Промоушн моделі

Розвиток та стандартизація

послуг

Легалізація моделі

01.2012 12.2012 12.2013

Main results in 2012:

1. The Center was integrated into community, and cooperation with all stakeholders was established. Teachers, village heads and social workers became involved in childcare processes. They send families to the Center for consultations and counseling, initiate placement of mothers and children who are in difficult life circumstances, support beneficiaries of the Center after they finish receiving services.

2. The Center’s personnel are ready to work on prevention, not only on fighting with consequences. A training program for specialists (12 modules/120 hours) was developed and implemented. The curriculum of the program meets the actual needs of the specialists in specific knowledge and skills to provide services for children/families. 16 one-day trainings were conducted.

3. The Center was visited by more than 400 people (public officers, representatives of executive bodies, journalists). We also established partnership with 10 non-governmental organizations and funds that work in childcare.

4. A series of events and meetings was held to ensure stable financing for the Center.

Tasks for 20131. Development of services, their standardization.2. Model legalization and ensuring stable financing of the Center.

When there is a hope… it’s never late to change your destiny

In February, 2012 the village head brought to the Center “Ray of Hope” a small tender girl – one-year old Svitlana who needed medical help and care. He explained that he took her away because she lived in a cold, unheated house with her drunken father who abused her mother and chased her out of home. The girl was very scared and looked very weak. The next day the girl’s mother Liudmyla (38 years old) came to the Center. She cried and tried to convince others that she loved her daughter and wanted to be with her.

As it became known later, from the information gathered by the Center’s social worker Olga, Liudmyla already was deprived of parental rights for two of her older children, was addicted to alcohol, didn’t have a place to live, and stayed with a man who constantly abused her. All feedback about the woman as a mother was negative. The situation looked hopeless, and it didn’t seem worth the efforts to keep Svitlana and Liudmyla together. However, every person should have a chance to change his or her destiny.

The main reason for starting work with the family became Liudmyla’s attachment to her daughter. She tried to visit Svitlana every day, despite a long way to the Center and lack of money. Later the woman asked for a permission to live in the Center together with her little girl. Having analyzed all the circumstances, Olga, the key social worker, helped Liudmyla to plan further steps to overcome difficulties and to build safe future. With assistance of the Center’s psychologist Liudmyla realised the reasons which triggered such a difficult situation – they were mainly connected with the woman’s inability to make decisions on her own, and her dependency on others that could easily put her under a bad influence. During her 7-month stay in the Center, the woman quit drinking, was very diligent in learning how to become a good mother for her child, followed all advice, got rid of her panic fear of the man who she used to live with and made a decision to break up with him. Liudmyla also reestablished contact with her older daughter. Little Svitlana successfully underwent two medical surgeries in a clinic in Kyiv. The social workers together with lawyers helped the mother to apply for social benefits and to look for a job.

Job search is a separate page in this story which can break a stereotype about indifference of the community members. Having learned about the situation, the director of a private restaurant not only agreed to hire the woman as a chef’s assistant, but also established a kind of mentorship for the family – helped to look after Svitlana before she was admitted to a kindergarten, assisted in finding a place to rent not far from work, where Liudmyla and the girl live now. Perhaps, this was the first time in her life when the woman felt safe and confident, as well as fully responsible for her own fate and the fate of her child. Liudmyla appreciates everything she has achieved so far and notes that people started to treat her differently: “Now the people who never even said hello to me want to communicate with me”.

‘It is Good at Home’ projectProject territory: Dnipropetrovsk rayon of Dnipropetrovsk oblast. There are 188 children-orphans and children deprived of parental care, the majority of population suffers from poverty, 75 children are in institutions, cases of adoption and foster care are very rare.

The aim of the project: to reform the system of childcare on rayon level, to develop and implement support services that will prevent family separation and placement of children in institutions.

Target groups: children-orphans and children deprived of parental care, children from the institution “Family” and its personnel, families with children who are in difficult life circumstances.

Parters : Rinat Akhmetov’s Foundation “Development of Ukraine”, Dnipropetrovsk oblast and rayon administrations.

Project components

Needs assessment

Training of professionals

Design of services

Reform of the institution

Development of family forms

09.2012 12.2012 12.2013

Current stage: Organizational phase of the project is finished, the working group is trained; Statistical data about life conditions of children and families was gathered. Needs analysis of children in the institution was carried out. Training for social workers on work with families in difficult life circumstances was

conducted. Material help for families is being provided.

Tasks for 20131. Training of specialists and improvement of decision making the system of

responsible authorities.2. Design and implementation of services on village community level.3. Reform of the children institution “Family”, creation of the Center of social support

for children and families and a Small Group Home.4. Work on development of family types of care.

Quotes from beneficiaries and stakeholders

I want to live in a world where I can see my grandparents, my sisters and brothers, my relatives, where I have friends and I can play with them, where my mother kisses me.

A girl, 8 years old, lives in an institution.

It is very sad to see institutions where children do not receive enough love and care that they need, and that’s why it is extremely important to spread the experience of Hope and Homes for Children across the globe.

Mike Wilson,St. James Place

The Center “Ray of Hope” presents a successful experience of reforming institutions, and it has to be scaled all around Ukraine.

Vice prime minister of Ukraine – the Minister of Social Politics Serhiy Tigipko.

When I was very little, my father used to take me to the kindergarten. Once he took a sledge, tied it to his bicycle and that’s how he drove me all the way. I was very happy.

A girl, 7 years old, lives in an institution.

Having implemented a childcare system proposed by Hope and Homes for Children we will strengthen the responsibility of local authorities and community for a fate of a child.

The Ombudsman for children rights under the President of Ukraine Yuriy Pavlenko

I have changed drastically: I quit drinking, became calmer - earlier I used to be very aggressive. My attitude to my daughter has also changed.

A mother, institution care-leaver, beneficiary of the Center “Ray of Hope”.

Financial report

Sources of donations Sum, in UAH.

Charity funds of British donors 1735812,60Rinat Akhmetov Foundation ‘Development of Ukraine’ 720970,00Winner Imports Ukraine 172414,0Donations from private persons 6143,85Blank Press company 5000,00ALTOGETHER 2640340,45

Project expenses Sum, in UAH

Capacity building of the ‘Ray of Hope’ Center 980610Lobbying our strategic initiatives, advocacy and fundraising 540279“It is Good at Home” project 289639Administrative expenses 390074ALTOGETHER 2200602

Expenses proportions