Ukraine

Aid Reaching Children, BuildAid & Blagomay Joint Venture

Evacuation and Shelter for At-Risk and Displaced Ukranian Children In-Care

The Aid Reaching Children Charity (Guernsey CH259) and UK Registered Charities BuildAid (CC- 1108811) are working together to transport and supply suitable accommodation for Ukrainian Childrens’ Shelters currently displaced by the ongoing conflict in war torn Ukraine. By working with the Ukrainian Charity Blagomay who are responsible for the welfare and safety of over five thousand Ukrainian children in state care, we are hoping to remove them from harm’s way.

We aim to:

  • Find children at-risk, provide them with temporary support while Blagomay obtain their passports, any parental consents, exit visas and agreements for repatriation.
  • Arrange safe transport to the UK for the children, their carers, guardians and any family of their support team.
  • To house the refugees in modern suitable premises donated by NHS Property Ltd. Two buildings located in Essex (former nursing homes) will be ready for occupation by the beginning of May. The properties will be managed and financially supported by BuildAid/ARC/Government for the duration of their occupation.
  • The existing care home management will continue to be responsible for the welfare of the refugee children but will receive logistical and financial support from the Ukrainian Government, the UK Government, UK NGOs, Corporate and Private Donations and local and other volunteers. It is predicted that this support will be needed for at least two years.
  • Register all children with the National Health Service upon arrival, they will be assessed to name any special needs following a traumatic journey and possible distress caused during the war and all necessary treatment administered accordingly.
  • Provide modern and safe, heated, furnished accommodation with all the food, clothing and social requirements needed during their stay.
  • Working with the Ukrainian Organisations relocated we shall consult with the relevant government and child-care organisations (Central Government, County Council, District Council, Local Council, Child Care Organisations, Ofsted and LEA) to ensure that all children remain safe.
  • Operate all best practice child protection measures to ensure that children always remain safe while displaced.
  • Arrange transportation back to the Ukraine when it is safe and appropriate accommodation is available (this will be agreed with Blagomay in advance.

The accommodation has been donated rent free by NHS Property Ltd, BuildAid will take a sub-lease with a “peppercorn” rental but will be liable for the running costs of the buildings. This will include energy costs, domestic or business rates (we assume that as a UK Charity they will be exempt for this cost), cleaning and support staff (carers and guardians will continue to be paid by the Ukrainian Government).

The buildings comprise:

  • A 60-bedroom (all with en-suite facilities) nursing home in Harlow complete with dining rooms, commercial kitchen, laundry, car parking and secure rear garden. We would hope to house approximately 240 children, carers and guardians here.
  • Refurbished nurses’ accommodation (4 x 4 bedroomed flats with kitchens and bathrooms with ground floor bedrooms, offices and laundry. This unit would house up to twenty-four older children with eight live in carers.

The buildings although modern and fit for purpose, will need some repair and preparation, this includes some upgrading of the fire precautions (to be undertaken by the NHS free of charge), some minor repair of a limited number of bedrooms, an updated security system to control ingress/egress of persons and a thorough clean internally and externally.

The buildings are not currently furnished and will need curtains, beds, bedding, storage units, tables, chairs, crockery, cutlery, office furniture, kitchen equipment (cooker ranges, fridges, pots, pans, dishwashers etc.) These items will need to be bought and installed prior to occupation; this will be undertaken by Aid Reaching Children and BuildAid as part of their facilities management role.

The complex at Harlow is next to a large GP Surgery, all children will be registered with the surgery on arrival and assessed as to their physical and mental health. All recommendations by the medical team will be conveyed to the Ukrainian carers and the necessary actions started.

It is expected that arrangements will need to be kept flexible and liable to change as this plan develops with the child-care agencies but the priority at this time is to remove vulnerable children at real risk of physical and mental-health harm as soon as possible.

Please support this very important initiative as follows:

Give generously to the child-support fund at BuildAid or Aid Reaching Children.

  1. Via their website or their Facebook page
  2. Volunteer your time preparing the buildings for occupation (dates to be advised)
  3. Donate clothing, shoes, toys and personal hygiene products (shampoo, shower gel, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes)
  4. Volunteer as a support worker to provide everyday services to the unit (cooking, cleaning etc)
  5. Run a fundraising group to support the initiative (JustGiving, Coffee Morning, Quiz etc)
  6. Help us to network this initiative as widely as possible (local/national press, Facebook, WhatsApp, friends, relatives, clubs, societies, companies and individuals)