The  USAID  Families For Children Program in Ukraine (FCP), implemented in Ukraine by Holt International Childrens Services in partnership with the Ministry of Ukraine for Family, Youth and Sport  from 2004 to 2010, was based upon the fundamental principle that all children have the right to live in safe and permanent families. FCP developed a continuum of integrated family-based services for children outside of, or at risk of being outside of family care. An integral component of the Program was support to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS.

FCP focused its efforts in three main program areas:

•         Introduction of family preservation services
•         Development of domestic adoption
•         Promotion of foster care and family type homes as alternatives to institutional care

In each of these areas FCP trained child welfare professionals, developed and piloted model services, conducted surveys, developed and published manuals, curricula and guidelines.

Four complimentary program approaches were used to achieve the Programs objectives in each of the program areas:

•         Community awareness and mobilization
•         Capacity building
•         Grant Program support for introducing and expanding new services
•         Dissemination of successful practices

The four program approaches were employed in a cross-cutting manner throughout each of the three program areas. Maximizing impact and the possibility of replication, as well as working toward long term sustainability were all key components of the Program design.

The Program operated in seven pilot sites in five Ukrainian oblasts:

•         Dnipropetrovsk oblast - Dnipropetrovsk City and Novomoskovsk Rayon
•         Kyiv oblast - Brovary Rayon
•         Cherkasy oblast - Uman city and Uman Rayon
•         Donetsk oblast - Gorlivka City
•         Odesa oblast - Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi Rayon

In each pilot site the continuum of services was tailored to meet the needs of the local community.

FCPs main government partner was the Ministry of Family Youth and Sport. At the regional level the Program worked with the regional administration in each pilot oblast, specifically with regional and local Centers for Social Services and the regional and local Departments of Children.

Families for Children Program ended in June, 2010. This web site will operate till 31 March 2012 providing access FCP publications.