ANNUAL REPORTOF UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS 72 (UNICEF) in Ukraine, the Ministry of Social Policy and the Ukrainian Network for the Rights of the Child. It revealed facts of inactivities of the staff of service providers for children, centres of social services for families, children and youth, illegal removal of children from their parents, untimely granting of the status of an orphan and a child deprived of parental care, failure to monitor observance of the rights of the child who stay at the families of caregivers, foster care, family type homes, boarding schools, etc. As a result of the visits, the Commissioner sent 7 submissions and 163 requests to public authorities, local self-government bodies, institutions and organizations. Findings of the monitoring and issues identified during the monitoring visits were discussed at the InterRegional Forum on the Status of the Rights of the Child, initiated by the Commissioner and supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine and e Ukrainian Network for the Rights of the Child on 15 May 201925. CHAPTER 3 Guardianship, care A total of 69,200 orphaned children and children deprived of parental care are there in Ukraine. At the same time, the analysis of the situation proved that most orphaned children and children deprived of parental care are placed under guardianship. According to the data of the Ministry of Social Policy, at the end of 2019, 49,714 children were brought up by guardians, which is 71.4% of the total number of orphaned children and children deprived of parental care. Monitoring visits showed the lack of social support for families of guardians, carers and also revealed problems in the relationship between children and guardians, especially in adolescence. For example, there are cases when the orphaned children and children deprived of parental care who are placed under guardianship or care are referred to the centres of social and psychological rehabilitation of children. For example, in 2014 there were 35 children of this category in the centres of Zaporizhia oblast, then in 2018 their number increased to 64 to decrease again to 29 children in the first half of 2019. However, in no region do service providers for children and centres of social services for families, children and youth providing case management to the families of guardians and carers to help them overcome or minimize difficult life circumstances. These situations were analyzed in detail during the monitoring visits and discussed with service providers, as well as at the Inter-Regional Forum on the Status of the Rights of the Child. In addition, the restriction of a child’s stay under care or guardianship up to 18 years of age puts a child in unequal conditions with children of the same category who are brought up in foster families and family-type orphanages. In particular, children who continue their education in secondary schools are suspended from receiving state benefits for children under guardianship or custody. Guardians – mostly grandparents – are unable to support financially their grandchildren who have obtained the status of orphaned children, children deprived of parental care (up to 23 years). www.ombudsman.gov.ua/ua/all-news/pr/u-ki%D1%94v%D1%96-v%D1%96dbuvsya-m%D1%96zhreg%D1%96onalnij-forum-mon%D1%96toring-prav-ditini-u-sistem%D1%96-alternativnogo-doglyadu/. 25