Voices of Children joins the programme supporting children who returned from occupation or deportation

Eurochild members Voices of Children Charitable Foundation, Ukrainian Network for Children’s Rights and Ukrainian Foundation for Public Health have joined the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative to help Ukrainian schools become safe, supportive spaces for children returning from occupied territories or Russia.

As of 1 November 2025, within the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, 1,782 children deported, forcibly displaced, or at risk of deportation have been returned home, each carrying personal stories marked by fear, trauma, and prolonged exposure to harmful narratives. Returning home is only the first step. 

Next, children face a challenging path of reintegration into a safe life. In addition to parents and family, children return to school, where teachers and psychologists across various regions of Ukraine play a crucial role in supporting them during the adaptation process. That is why schools need to become spaces responsive to children’s experiences.

Voices Foundation will:

• Train teachers in trauma-informed approaches so they can understand children’s emotions and needs through their behavior;
• Prepare mentors and psychologists to support children in adapting and building relationships within their class;
• Create a systemic model of support in schools so that displaced children and those returning from occupied territories or deportation feel a genuine sense of belonging;
• Conduct analytical research and develop recommendations to help implement similar support in other schools.

Voices is starting with 10 pilot schools to test the model in practice, with the goal of later expanding the initiative nationwide so every school enrolling returning children can support their integration.

Further information:

• Read the full article on Voices.org.ua