Over the course of a year, 70 children were removed from their families in the Mykolaiv region due to unsafe living conditions

In the Mykolaiv region, 70 children were removed from their families over the course of a year due to dangerous living conditions. Illustrative photo: NikVesti

In 2025, 70 children were removed from their families in the Mykolaiv region due to threats to their lives and health.

This was announced during a briefing by Iryna Ponomariova, head of the Children’s Services Department of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, according to NikVesti.

According to her, in 2025, child welfare services carried out 5,294 inspections of children’s living conditions. During these inspections, 176 children were identified who were in situations posing a threat to their lives and health.

In the case of 70 children, the child protection authorities decided to remove them from the dangerous environment. Claims to terminate parental rights were also filed with the court.

«Child welfare services have also established very close cooperation with the National Police, medical institutions, educational establishments, social service providers and civil society organisations to support and, above all, identify children who find themselves in difficult life circumstances or are at risk of ending up in such a situation,» says Iryna Ponomariova.

It should be noted that in the Mykolaiv region in 2025, following applications by child protection authorities, 142 parents had their parental rights terminated in respect of 193 children.

It should be noted that there are foster families in 13 communities in the Mykolaiv region who help children in difficult life circumstances. Over the past year, 55% of children returned to their biological parents after foster care.

As a reminder, in 2025, the Club of Foster Carers and Assistants of the Mykolaiv region was established.

Read also the article by NikVesti: «A child has the right to a family: how adoption and family-based care are being developed in Mykolaiv».