The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the SOS Children’s Villages of Uzbekistan jointly held a roundtable discussion. It was devoted to the issues of psychosocial support for children in alternative forms of care, as well as measures to prevent their separation from their biological families.

Representatives of government agencies, international and national organizations, experts in this field, foster parents, and young people have identified practical approaches to supporting children’s mental health under guardianship or at risk of separation from their families. They emphasized the importance of a modern understanding of psychological trauma and the need for intersectoral cooperation.

The participants discussed the need to introduce sustainable practices and create systematic support for caregivers and professionals working with children and families.

Ensuring access to high-quality psychosocial care is considered a key condition for effectively protecting children’s rights, especially in the context of reforming the alternative care system in Uzbekistan.

Issues of deinstitutionalization, expansion of family forms of care, development of mental health services and psychosocial support for children with disabilities, as well as the importance of gender aspects in creating access to services for girls and boys, were discussed during the panel discussions and group work.

The participants focused on the proposals of foster parents and young people with experience of upbringing in alternative care.

This event once again showed how important the issue of mental health and psychosocial support is on the agenda for the protection of children’s rights.

Noting Uzbekistan’s commitment to reforming the child care system, emphasizing family-oriented forms, the event participants developed recommendations on integrating psychosocial support into national strategies and social protection practices.

Nazokat Usmanova, UzA