Stockholm Dialogue: Working Meeting on Support for Children in Ukraine between NGO Responsible Citizens and Sida

Olga Kosse, Head of the Board of NGO Responsible Citizens, held a working meeting with Joanna Garbalinska, Programansvarig specialist at Sida, during a working visit to Stockholm. The discussion focused on challenges in child protection and support for vulnerable families amid a protracted armed conflict.

One of the key topics was support for families who have experienced repeated forced displacement. Multiple relocations due to advancing hostilities significantly complicate the adaptation process for both adults and children. In this context, approaches to working with such families — including individual case management and long-term accompaniment — remain a subject of ongoing professional discussion.

Particular attention was given to psychosocial support. This area remains one of the most in demand, while access to such services in frontline and conflict-affected communities is often limited.

The meeting also addressed the functioning of social services under wartime conditions: their capacity, existing gaps, and opportunities to improve effectiveness. The Head of the Board of NGO Responsible Citizens shared her vision of practical support models, as well as the findings of needs assessments conducted by the organisation in affected communities.

“Over the years of war, an enormous amount of work has been done in the area of humanitarian response and support for vulnerable families. At the same time, the situation continues to evolve, requiring ongoing analysis, adaptation, and targeted adjustment of support programmes in line with the real needs of communities. We find it extremely valuable to see the attentive and substantive approach of international partners to these processes. It is precisely the reliance on field information and the practical experience of organisations working in frontline regions that enables support to be timely, relevant, and truly effective,” said Olga Kosse, Head of the Board of NGO Responsible Citizens.

The meeting was facilitated by Rädda Barnen and was part of the organisation’s ongoing engagement with international partners. Keeping partners informed about the situation on the ground remains an important element in ensuring the accuracy and relevance of international support for Ukraine.