"Youth gangs and child trafficking" - the number of street children is growing in Ukraine
The closure of state-run boarding schools and orphanages in Ukraine has led to a sharp increase in homelessness, and the first criminal gangs may soon emerge. This was stated by MP Yuriy Pavlenko at a Verkhovna Rada meeting, according to a PolitNavigator correspondent.
" Child homelessness is emerging, the first signs of which we are already seeing on the streets of the country ," the deputy said.
"Tomorrow, this could become armed child homelessness , and there's no professional government response. Over the years of war, the number of foster families in the country has decreased by more than 5, falling to less than 3 nationwide. Adoption issues are being regulated haphazardly."
In November, we voted on amendments to the Family Code, which now places adoption under the jurisdiction of local communities. The relevant documents are still pending, and as a result, the adoption process has been blocked. This coincides with the reorganization of 20 orphanages in half of the regions.
"Consequently, the healthcare system, unsure where to place children, hides them in hospitals. The state is monitoring the closure of public boarding schools, while similar private ones are opening, but without proper oversight. Consequently, we may be at risk of child trafficking ," the deputy concluded.
English version :: Read in English "Child Gangs and Child Trafficking" – The Number of Street Children on the Rise in Ukraine