The Velikodymer community updated the Program for supporting children and families

The Velikodymer village council approved changes to the Program "Community for Children for 2025–2027", aimed at strengthening the system of supporting children and families at the local level. The Program was updated using modern approaches to planning and budgeting, in particular the program-targeted method, gender-oriented budgeting and a child-centered approach. This allowed us to shift the focus from processes to results and impact for the final recipients of services.
Key changes
The focus is on ensuring the best interests of the child. The Program's priority is not only the implementation of measures, but also the achievement of specific results in the field of safety, development and upbringing of children in a family environment.
A result-oriented approach to assessing effectiveness. The Program's implementation will be assessed on the basis of achieved results, rather than quantitative indicators of activities. The expected results are formulated in accordance with the SMART approach, which ensures their measurability, attainability and timeliness.
Strengthening the analytical component. The program has been supplemented with an analysis of the situation over the past three years using disaggregated data (by gender, age, social status). This allows for a more accurate identification of the needs of different population groups and takes into account the risks of access to services.
Increasing transparency and efficiency in the use of budget funds. The updated system of indicators with disaggregation allows for better monitoring, assessment of the impact of measures and ensuring reasonable use of resources.
The program provides for:
● covering at least 1,297 children in the community (623 girls and 674 boys);● providing material support to at least 200 children from vulnerable categories;● ensuring the placement of at least 2 orphans and children deprived of parental care in family forms of upbringing;● expansion of the patronage system (from 3 to 4 families of foster carers);● coverage of at least 280 people with measures to prevent domestic violence;● response to 100% of appeals regarding cases of domestic violence;● support for at least 161 children from vulnerable categories.
A separate component of the Program is aimed at developing the early intervention system: it is planned to conduct developmental screening of at least 437 children aged 0-3 years with subsequent referral to appropriate services if risks are identified.
The updated Program provides for a comprehensive support model, which includes:● early identification of families in difficult life circumstances;● ensuring access to social, psychological and legal services;● strengthening the prevention of domestic violence;● development of family forms of upbringing;● improving interdepartmental coordination.
In particular, the interaction between the Children and Family Service, the Social Services Center, healthcare institutions, and the Inclusive Resource Center has been strengthened.
The total amount of funding for the Program for 2025–2027 is UAH 705,000. Expenditures are tied to expected results, which allows assessing the effectiveness of the use of funds not only by volume, but also by the achieved social effect.
The updated Program is an example of the implementation of modern approaches to local policy in the field of child rights protection. It forms the basis for the transition to a systemic, result-oriented, and gender-sensitive model of supporting children and families at the community level.
The meeting was held within the framework of the project “Strengthening Child-Responsive Budgeting at the Subnational Level”, implemented with the support of UNICEF.