About the large foster family
About the large foster family
A large foster family is a family where some children who cannot live with their biological families are raised. It is a family where children are taken care of and are raised as if they are one’s own ones, where they can experience warmth and support, and have an opportunity to grow up and develop in a place of safety and love.
It is a long-term but temporary form of children’s care. Its purpose is to prepare children for returning to their biological families, entering adoption, or living independently as young adults.
Key facts
💡Large foster family: raising children in a family of Ukrainian citizens
Parents may be a married couple or a single, unmarried person
Remuneration: benefits (monetary allowance) are provided for raising children
Number of children: a large foster family may host at least five children who are orphaned or deprived of parental care. The total number of children, including biological children, may not exceed ten
Category of children: a large foster family raises children who are orphaned and deprived of parental care. Under martial law, other children without parental care may be temporarily placed into such families
Co-residence: children are raised in, and reside together with, the family
Period: children can live in a large foster family until they turn eighteen or graduate from their education establishment. Children who are orphaned and deprived of parental care who have a disability may, at their own discretion, continue to live in a large foster family until the age of twenty-three, whether they study in general secondary, vocational, professional pre-higher or higher education establishments or not
Children’s rights: children shall have their right to all benefits and housing, and the right to communicate with their biological family
Who can be a caregiving parent in a large foster family?
A large foster family may be created by a married couple or a single adult who meets the criteria of being solvent, in good health, and capable of caregiving responsibilities. These requirements must apply to both spouses in the case of a married couple. While physical ability is highlighted, the criteria do not explicitly exclude individuals with disabilities, suggesting assessments might consider overall caregiving capacity rather than strict physical requirements. Full mutual consent between spouses is mandatory for creating such a family.
Who may not be eligible?
As specified in Article 212 of the Family Code of Ukraine, adults that are not eligible include:
- persons who have been found to be legally incapable or to have limited legal capacity;
- persons deprived of parental rights and whose parental rights have not been restored;
- those who have previously adopted or fostered a child, but the care arrangement was cancelled due to any fault of the caregiver;
Children who can be placed into a large foster family
The children who can be placed into a large foster family for care include:
- children who are orphaned — children whose parents have died or been killed, as confirmed by a death certificate;
- children deprived of parental care — children whose parents fail to take care of them for the following reasons:
Care line
How can you welcome a child into your family?
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