This question is frequently encountered by internally displaced families as they adjust to life in new locations.
We were recently approached by a mother who had moved from Kharkiv to Kyiv with her three-year-old child. She sought to enroll her child in a local kindergarten and submitted an application to the nearest institution. However, her application was denied. The kindergarten informed her that her child was not eligible for priority enrollment at that specific facility and advised her to apply to a kindergarten at her place of registration instead.
In this explainer, we will clarify the process necessary to secure priority enrollment for an IDP child in a preschool institution.
Our aim is to inform affected individuals about state services under the framework of the project “Supporting the Capacity of the Social Protection System to Register Internally Displaced Persons,” funded by the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine.
Question: Are internally displaced children eligible for priority enrollment in pre-schools?
Answer: Yes, they are, under certain conditions.
Explanation:
Internally displaced children are entitled to priority enrollment in preschool educational institutions.
To avail of this, when applying, a parent or legal representative must present the original IDP registration certificate. This certificate confirms their entitlement to priority enrollment, and its details should be included in the application.
Important! Children are enrolled in preschool institutions based on the availability of free places and in the order that applications are received within the calendar year.
Other Children Entitled to Priority Enrollment:
Priority enrollment in state (municipal) preschool institutions is also granted to children who:
- Live within the service area of the institution (if applicable).
- Have siblings already attending the institution.
- Are children of the institution’s employees.
- Have special educational needs due to intellectual, sensory, or physical disabilities.
- Are orphans, under guardianship, in foster care, or adopted.
- Are registered with child services due to difficult life circumstances.
- Are internally displaced or affected by hostilities and armed conflicts.
- Are entitled to priority enrollment by law.
Refer to the Regulation on Preschool Education Institutions by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, March 12, 2003, No. 305,
Do you need a legal consultation?
If you are internally displaced and require a legal consultation regarding IDP registration, social benefits, or service provision, fill out a short Google form through this QR code: https://bit.ly/3jHq2eg.
Our consultants will provide professional legal assistance.
Please reach out, we will help you solve your problem!
This guide was developed by the Charity Foundation Stabilization Support Services with funding from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The content presented in this publication is exclusively the responsibility of the CO CF SSS and should not be interpreted as representing the viewpoint of the Agency.
The information is valid as of November 11, 2023.