Candidates for children's mentors will be screened for domestic violence and ties to the enemy: new rules from July 16

The full-scale war has left thousands of Ukrainian children without their usual environment, and many without parental care. Some of them lost relatives, were forcibly displaced, experienced occupation or hostilities, while others found themselves in difficult life circumstances and need not only material assistance but also the support of an adult they can trust. It was precisely to create a system of such support in Ukraine that the Law of Ukraine "On Mentorship" was adopted.

The document defines who can become a mentor, which children and young people can receive such assistance, how candidate training, contract conclusion, and safety guarantees for all participants will be carried out.

When the Law came into force and when it started to operate

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the Law of Ukraine No. 4744-IX "On Mentorship" on December 18, 2025. After the official publication of the document on January 15, 2026, in the newspaper "Voice of Ukraine," it came into force on January 16, 2026. At the same time, the legislator provided for a delayed start of its practical application. According to paragraph 1 of section III "Final Provisions" of the Law, the document is enacted six months after it comes into force. Thus, the provisions of the Law began to operate on July 16, 2026.

This mechanism is used quite often. It gives the Cabinet of Ministers, central executive authorities, and other state bodies time to develop the necessary subordinate acts, create organizational mechanisms, and prepare for the implementation of the new law.

What is mentorship

According to Article 1 of the Law, mentorship is a voluntary, free, and regular activity aimed at developing a person's personal potential, taking into account their individual needs and life circumstances. In other words, it is not about material assistance or adoption but about long-term support for a person who needs an adult capable of helping them adapt to life, education, professional development, socialization, and making important life decisions.

At the same time, mentorship does not replace parents, guardians, or caregivers and does not create family legal relations. Its main task is to help a child or young person acquire necessary life skills, build trusting relationships, and receive support during a difficult period of life.

Who can receive a mentor

Article 6 of the Law defines the main principles that all participants in mentorship must follow. Among them are voluntariness, humanism, conscientiousness, an individual approach, respect for human dignity, ensuring the best interests of the person under mentorship, confidentiality, and adherence to the moral principles of society. The principle of voluntariness means that neither the mentor nor the person under mentorship can be forced to participate in the program.

One of the key novelties of the Law is a significant expansion of the categories of persons who can use mentorship. While previously this mechanism was mainly applied to orphans, it now covers many more categories of children and youth. According to Article 11 of the Law, mentorship can be provided to children who have reached the age of 10. They may include:

• orphans
• children deprived of parental care
• children who have parents but are in difficult life circumstances or live in various types of institutions
• children from families of war veterans defined by the Law of Ukraine "On the Status of War Veterans and Guarantees of Their Social Protection"
• children who have the status of victims of military actions or armed conflicts
• children deported or forcibly displaced due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation
• children from families in difficult life circumstances.

In addition to children, mentorship also extends to certain categories of youth aged 18 to 23. In particular, support may be provided to:

• underage pregnant girls in difficult life circumstances
• single mothers or fathers under 23 years old
• young people from among orphans and children deprived of parental care
• persons aged 18 to 23 living in specialized institutions and in difficult life circumstances.

Thus, the legislator has effectively created a support mechanism not only for children but also for young people who have already reached adulthood but still need help transitioning to independent life.

Who can become a mentor

The requirements for mentors are defined by Article 12 of the Law. A mentor can be a person who: is at least 21 years old, has full legal capacity, is a citizen of Ukraine, permanently resides in Ukraine, has undergone special training, received a positive conclusion on the possibility of mentorship, and signed a mentorship agreement. Thus, the desire to help alone is not enough.

Each candidate must undergo training and evaluation, after which they receive an official conclusion about their readiness to perform mentor functions. Additionally, if mentorship is to be provided to a child or adult with a disability, the candidate's ability to provide necessary support considering the person's developmental features, health status, and needs will be additionally assessed during evaluation.

Who the law prohibits from being a mentor

The law pays special attention to child safety issues. The list of persons who cannot be mentors is quite extensive. In particular, mentors cannot be persons who:

• are declared legally incapable or limited in legal capacity,
• have been deprived of parental rights,
• were adopters, guardians, or mentors but the respective relationships ended due to their fault,
• suffer from alcohol, drug, or other addictions,
• have mental disorders or illnesses that prevent them from performing mentor functions,
• require constant external care,
• are wanted, under investigation, or accused until the criminal proceedings are completed,
• have committed domestic violence or gender-based violence and were held administratively liable,
• have an unexpunged or outstanding conviction or were convicted of serious crimes, including those against life, health, sexual freedom, public safety, as well as crimes against the foundations of Ukraine's national security,
• are citizens of an aggressor state or are married to a citizen of such a state.

Moreover, the law explicitly states that a mentor cannot be a person whose interests conflict with those of the child or young person under mentorship. Effectively, the law establishes a multi-stage candidate screening mechanism designed to minimize risks for children and other program participants.

How to become a mentor: step-by-step procedure

Desire alone is not enough. The law provides a clear procedure for acquiring mentor status, which is detailed in Articles 13–15 of the Law. First, a person must apply to a social service provider organizing mentorship with a written application and documents, the list of which will be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. After that, the candidate undergoes a preliminary check. If they meet the legal requirements, they are included in the group for training future mentors.

If circumstances preventing mentorship are found, inclusion in training may be denied. Training is conducted according to a special program covering legal, psychological, and ethical aspects of working with children and youth. Based on the training results, the candidate receives a conclusion on the possibility of mentorship. Only after this can they be matched with a specific child or young person.

How mentor selection occurs

It is not possible to independently choose a child or, conversely, a mentor. According to Article 14 of the Law, the social service provider organizing mentorship carries out the mutual selection. During this process, the individual needs of the child or young person, personal compatibility, recommendations from psychologists and other specialists, the candidate's life experience, interests and hobbies of the parties, and the principle of voluntariness are taken into account.

Before sharing information about the child, written consent from their legal representatives and the child's own consent in a form appropriate to their age and health condition are mandatory.

After successful selection, the parties sign a written mentorship agreement (Article 15 of the Law). Depending on the situation, the agreement may be signed by the mentor, the child's legal representatives, the adult participant themselves, and the social service provider. After signing, information about the agreement is entered into the relevant state registry.

Can a mentor take a child home

Yes, but only under strictly defined legal conditions. According to Article 18 of the Law, a mentor has the right to personally communicate with the child, visit them at their place of residence, study, treatment, or rehabilitation, invite the child to their home, or visit public places together. However, this is only possible with the consent of the child and their parents or other legal representatives.

If the child lives in an appropriate institution, interaction must also occur according to the terms of the mentorship agreement.

What duties are imposed on the mentor

Article 18 of the Law contains a fairly extensive list of mentor duties. The mentor must act exclusively in the interests of the child or young person, respect their rights, not disclose personal data, constantly improve their competence, and adhere to mentorship principles. Additionally, the mentor is obliged to immediately notify the police, child services, or legal representatives if they learn about threats to the child's life or health, cases of domestic violence, bullying, or other offenses.

If the mentor accompanies the child or invites them home, they are also responsible for the timely return of the child to their place of residence, study, or treatment.

For what the mentor will be held accountable

The law explicitly states that the mentor is responsible for violating the rights and lawful interests of the person under mentorship. If harm is caused to the child's life or health during mentorship or the mentor violates legal requirements, they will be held accountable according to the law.

Moreover, according to Article 25 of the Law, persons guilty of violating the requirements of the Law "On Mentorship" bear responsibility under Ukrainian legislation. Thus, mentorship is not only a right to help a child or young person but also a significant responsibility requiring compliance with established legal rules and safety guarantees.

The emergence of the separate Law "On Mentorship" was the state's response to new social challenges that became especially acute after the start of the full-scale war. The number of children who lost parental care, were forced to leave their homes, experienced hostilities, or found themselves in difficult life circumstances has significantly increased. At the same time, young people who leave institutional care or crisis situations after reaching adulthood and lack sufficient experience of independent living also need support.

The new Law does not create an alternative to adoption or family forms of upbringing. Its task is different – to form a system of long-term support where an adult appears alongside a child or young person who can help with advice, personal experience, professional orientation, socialization, and preparation for independent life.

At the same time, the practical implementation of the Law will largely depend on how quickly the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approves the procedure for organizing and implementing mentorship provided by the law, as well as other subordinate regulatory acts. These will define the procedures for candidate training, mentor mutual selection, contract conclusion, accompaniment, and state registration.

Previously, Judicial and Legal Newspaper wrote that after the adoption of the mentorship law in Ukraine, the number of adults joining support for children in difficult life circumstances has significantly increased. Parliament reports that new "mentor-child" pairs are created almost daily.

Subscribe to our Telegram channel t.me/sudua and to Google News SUD.UA, as well as to our VIBER and WhatsApp pages, and on Facebook and Instagram to stay informed about the most important events.