The Rada Recommends Adopting the Bill on Support for Families with Children with Disabilities in Full

On Tuesday, 28 July, the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Social Policy and Veterans' Rights Protection considered Bill No. 14191. This bill proposes amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On State Social Assistance to Persons with Disabilities from Childhood and Children with Disabilities" concerning the formation of comprehensive state support and the enhancement of social guarantees for families with disabled persons.

The document significantly alters the state’s approach to supporting families raising children with disabilities. Previously, the primary focus was on monetary payments; however, the bill now introduces a comprehensive support model that combines financial provisions with modern social services.

The bill envisages a transition from fragmented assistance to a systematic approach, guaranteeing comprehensive state support through a combination of monetary payments and the provision of social services, including a combined early intervention social service.

The draft act proposes the introduction of a base amount—a normative monetary indicator used to determine the levels of state social assistance provided by this bill.

From 2027, the base amount will be established in the Law on the State Budget of Ukraine for the respective year and cannot be less than 4,000 hryvnias.

It is noted that care allowances assigned according to legislation in force before this Law came into effect will be paid at new amounts, following the rules defined by the legislation in force before this Law came into effect, until the expiration of the period for which they were assigned or until grounds for their revision arise.

Additionally, the bill will regulate state social assistance for persons with disabilities from childhood and children with disabilities under 18 years old who are fully supported by the state in institutions or placed in foster families, family-type orphanages, or patronage families.

The Committee noted that the bill was substantially revised between the first and second readings. One of the key innovations was the introduction of a combined early intervention social service, which will be funded from the state budget. This service involves a social manager and a multidisciplinary team who will collaborate with the family to develop an individual support plan for the child and their family. This includes parent training, consultations on child care, development, socialisation, and adaptation to life.

Recipients of this service will be families with children from birth to four years old who have developmental disorders or are at risk of such disorders.

Special attention in the bill is given to the financing of social services. The combined early intervention service will be funded from the state budget, and social services defined in the family’s individual plan will also be state-funded during the first five years of the Law’s validity. Thereafter, funding will gradually transfer to local governments, aligning with European practices in family support organisation.

The Committee noted that such a transition period is necessary to create the appropriate infrastructure, prepare qualified specialists, and build trust among parents in the new social services system. This will ensure quality care for children and allow parents to temporarily regain their strength.

Moreover, the bill provides for the possibility of purchasing social services for comprehensive child development and care, as well as granting parents of a disabled child the right to a two-week temporary rest once a year. Together with monetary payments, this support model will provide families with assistance ranging from 20,000 to 71,000 hryvnias per month, depending on individual needs.

The bill also envisages the introduction of basic social services, such as:

• support during inclusive education;

• comprehensive development and care for children with disabilities;

• temporary rest for parents or guardians caring for children with disabilities, disabled persons, or seriously ill children.

For five years, commencing 1 January 2027, funding for these three basic social services will be provided from the state budget.

The bill also establishes a new philosophy of state support, which involves not only financial assistance but also creating conditions for the adaptation of the entire family. In particular, it concerns the provision of habilitation services that help the child acquire necessary skills for self-care, socialisation, and everyday life according to their functional capabilities.

The Committee added that the bill aims to establish a modern family support system that combines financial assistance, social services, development of necessary infrastructure, and a gradual transition to a model consistent with best European practices.

Following the discussion of the comparative table to the draft Law of Ukraine on amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On State Social Assistance to Persons with Disabilities from Childhood and Children with Disabilities" regarding the formation of comprehensive state support and enhancement of social guarantees for families with disabled persons (No. 14191), the Committee decided to approve the text of the comparative table to the bill with proposals and amendments from Members of Parliament. It recommended that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopt the aforementioned bill in the second reading and in full, with the necessary technical and legal edits.

Earlier, "Judicial-Legal Newspaper" reported that over 160,000 Ukrainian families raising children with disabilities may receive guaranteed state support and new opportunities for socialisation.

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