Podcast | How can we help children fleeing war and their guardians?

How can we improve child protection systems? What are the needs of guardians? Lessons from the #GUIDEforGuardians project- from Ukraine and beyond.

Drawing on insights from the GUIDE project, which supports professionals and guardians working with unaccompanied children, including those with disabilities and evacuated from institutions, this 7th episode of the Eurochild Podcast features Davide Rambaldi, Eurochild Communications Coordinator and Lyzaveta Drannikova, Policy and Project Officer at EASPD, the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities.

It highlights the main challenges guardians and children on the move face in navigating bureaucracy and accessing essential services, and showcases recommendations, practical tools and multilingual guidelines.

While rooted in the Ukrainian context, the approach emphasises that effective child protection must be individually tailored, addressing each child’s trauma, personal history, needs, and any disabilities. These principles remain vital in all situations of war and displacement.

Amid the ongoing conflict, while many flee the country with or without their family, over 20,000 Ukrainian children have reportedly been taken to Russia, placed in institutions or so-called “reintegration” camps, or listed for adoption. Many are subjected to re-education efforts that deny Ukraine’s existence and enforce cultural assimilation.

The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.