Biggest Challenge In Evacuating Children Parents' Reluctance To Leave, Says Head Of Juvenile Police

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) This was stated by Vasyl Bohdan, head of Ukraine's juvenile police, in a comment to Ukrinform.

“The most difficult aspect of evacuating children today is the combination of several factors at once. First of all, it is the security situation in frontline regions. A separate challenge remains the need for specialized personal protective equipment for children. Standard body armor is not suitable in terms of size and weight, while the demand for children's body armor and helmets is constantly growing. There is also a significant workload on personnel, as juvenile police officers simultaneously perform many other tasks related to protecting children during the war. However, the most difficult challenge often turns out to be not technology or even human resources, but the human factor – the reluctance of relatives to leave their homes,” he explained.

Bohdan said that parents fear the unknown, worry about their property and elderly relatives, and sometimes simply become accustomed to living in constant danger, postponing the decision until the last moment.

“That is why the key tool remains not pressure, but trust and open communication. What works best is explaining real risks in simple language and involving social services, psychologists, and local authorities, so that families clearly understand where exactly they are going, what conditions will be provided for their children, and who will be there to support them after evacuation,” the head of juvenile police said.

According to him, experience shows that when people feel support rather than coercion, they agree to safe decisions much faster.

Bohdan stressed that the main thing is to speak honestly and explain that evacuation is not about losing one's home, but about preserving a child's life and future, and about being there for them.

“The main conclusion from this period is that society has become more united and more aware when it comes to child safety. The full-scale war has shown that even in the most difficult conditions, there must always be an adult next to a child who is capable of supporting and protecting them, and it is this shared responsibility that has become the foundation of all work during evacuation processes,” Bohdan said.

He recalled that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, juvenile police officers have been involved in evacuation efforts together with frontline regional authorities, emergency services, social services, and local governments.

“This experience has shown how important not only the organization of safe movement is, but also human support at the most difficult moments. Over these years, it has become clear that unity has been the main strength. Communities, volunteers, and representatives of various services have united around a common goal – to protect children,” the head of Ukraine's juvenile police said.

Read also: Lubinets urges government to regulate procedures for mandatory evacuation of children

Bohdan believes that people are now more supportive of one another, respond to danger more quickly, and that parents are more likely to heed safety recommendations.

At the same time, he said, the war has taught everyone responsibility: decisions about evacuation are no longer perceived as temporary or optional, but as a conscious step taken for the sake of a child's life.

“At the same time, we also see the other side – war fatigue, fear of leaving one's home, and reluctance to change a familiar way of life even under shelling. That is why the role of juvenile police officers today is much broader than before: it is not only prevention, but also daily communication with families, support for children during relocation, assistance in coordination with other services, and explaining risks,” the law enforcement official said.

As Ukrinform previously reported, Kateryna Pavlichenko, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, said that police may draw up administrative charges against parents who refuse to evacuate children from frontline areas, and that in certain cases such adults may face criminal liability.

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law regulating mandatory evacuation on March 2.

The document provides, in particular, that military administrations, upon a written proposal from military command and with the approval of a coordination headquarters, may decide on the compulsory evacuation of children. Such evacuation is carried out by guardianship authorities or the police and is conducted with parents or other legal representatives present, or – with their consent – without accompaniment or accompanied by other persons. If parents refuse to accompany the child, the evacuation is carried out without them. The removal of a child in such cases is conducted without deprivation of parental rights.

At the same time, parents have the right to apply for the return of the child within six months, provided they reside in a safe area. If this right is not exercised, guardianship authorities apply to the court.

Photo: National Police of Ukraine

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