New Childhood Centre offers hope and healing for Ukraine’s youngest victims of war

Eurochild member, Voices of Children Foundation, has officially begun the construction of a one-of-a-kind facility designed to support children and families affected by the trauma of war.

On 5 June 2023, in Dzvinkove in the Kyiv region, the organisation brought together journalists, international partners, human rights defenders, diplomats, and families to mark the start of the centre’s construction. The event was held on a serene, forested plot featuring a natural spring, an ideal location for recovery, reflection, and healing. The Childhood Centre marks a significant milestone in the country’s approach to post-conflict mental health and psychosocial support.

Once completed, the Childhood Centre will accommodate stays of 14 or 20 days, depending on each child’s programme. The site will feature sleeping areas, shelters, and spaces for both individual and group therapy, as well as art therapy, sensory integration, and recreational zones. Initially, the Centre will be able to host up to 100 children at a time. Eventually, it will expand its services to include entire families. All support offered at the Centre will be provided free of charge.

This Centre which was announced at the end of 2023 will be the first space in Ukraine dedicated to year-round, holistic psychological rehabilitation for children and their parents who have been impacted by the war. Once complete, it will offer a safe and nurturing environment where children can laugh, play, or sit in silence with others who understand their pain.

A meaningful panel discussion took place at the event, focused on the importance of safeguarding childhood in times of war. “Children should not have to wait for the war to end in order to begin healing,” said co-founder Olena Rozvadovska. “We must build places of care now, where children feel safe, heard, and alive.”

A poignant highlight of the ceremony was the symbolic placement of a time capsule. It contained heartfelt messages of hope and encouragement for the children of the future, a reminder that the Centre exists because of them, and for them.