3.3 out of 10
Legal capacity can be fully removed, and this can limit the right to vote and the right to stand for elections. There is no easy-to-read information on elections available.
Some adults with intellectual disabilities live in larger institutions, few live in smaller institutions and psychiatric hospitals.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their families, and they receive little support. Few live in their own place.
Most children with intellectual disabilities go to special schools, some children go to mainstream schools and some receive no education.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market. They do not risk to lose their disability benefits when they earn their own salary.
People with intellectual disabilities have access to a general practitioner, but only some have a dentist or physiotherapist.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented in the national cross-disability organisation. VGO Coalition does not receive government funding for their advocacy work.
Ukraine European average
Ukraine has no money for recovery, it will rely on international funds. We don't want to see any new people go into institutions. Do not use recovery money for institutions, but for support to independent living.
| Mainstream education | 2,000 |
|---|---|
| Special education | 10,000 |
| No education | 1,000 |
| Larger institutions | 20,000 |
| Smaller institutions | 100 |
| Small care homes | * |
| Psychiatric hospitals | 1,000 |
* Education figures: These numbers reflect all disabilities. Institution figures: These are rough estimations.
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.
3.5 out of 10
Legal capacity can be fully removed, and this can limit right to vote and right to stand for elections. Voting is not accessible for people with intellectual disabilities.
Some adults with intellectual disabilities live in larger institutions, few live in psychiatric hospitals. There is a plan to close institutions, but it is not being followed.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their families, a small number live in their own place. Disability benefits could go to the individual, family or service providers. Adequate housing and disability support is not accessible. No mechanism for quality of services.
Some children with intellectual disabilities go to special schools, few children go to mainstream schools and a small number receive no education. There is a law that addresses inclusive education, but there is little progress.
A small number of people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market, few work in ‘protected employment’ or attend daycare, some stay at home. They do not risk losing their disability benefits when they have a paid job, but jobs are not very accessible. ‘Protected employment’ does not pay minimum wage.
People with intellectual disabilities have access to a general practitioner, few have access to a dentist and women’s health. Sex education for people with intellectual disabilities is poor, there is little freedom of choice in reproductive health. People with intellectual disabilities cannot be forcibly sterilised, but it is still performed.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented in the national cross-disability organisation. VGO Coalition does not receive government funding for advocacy work.
Ukraine European average
We need international help to promote statistics on intellectual disability in Ukraine. The situation is getting worse. The last time we had statistics on the number of persons with intellectual disability in 2013. We only had statistics about school education of children with intellectual disabilities last year, but in 2024 this type of statistics disappeared from the official website of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
The government has declared deinstitutionalisation intentions, but no administrative steps have been made (neither the sub-laws to make it possible, e.g, no regulation for group homes although appropriate plans were announced, nor the guaranteed financial support to these plans).
| Larger institutions | 20,000 |
|---|---|
| Smaller institutions | 100 |
| Small care homes | 0 |
| Psychiatric hospitals | 1,000 |
* Education figures: No data available.
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.
3 out of 10
Legal capacity can be fully removed, and this can limit right to vote and right to stand for elections. Voting is not accessible for people with intellectual disabilities.
Many adults with intellectual disabilities live in large institutions. Some live in psychiatric hospitals. There is a plan to close institutions, but it is not being followed.
Most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their families. Very few live in their own place. Disability benefits go to the individual, a legal representative or a guardian. Housing and disability support is not accessible. The mechanism for quality of services does not reflect reality.
Many children with intellectual disabilities go to special schools and some go to mainstream schools. There is a law that addresses inclusive education, but there is little progress.
Very few people with intellectual disabilities have a job on the open labour market. Some work in ‘protected employment’, some attend daycare and some stay at home. People do not risk losing their disability benefits when they have a paid job, but jobs are not very accessible. ‘Protected employment’ does not pay minimum wage.
Many people with intellectual disabilities have access to healthcare. Some have access to the dentist and women’s health. There is little freedom of choice in reproductive health. People with intellectual disabilities cannot be forcibly sterilised.
People with intellectual disabilities are represented in the national cross-disability organisation, but there is no person with an intellectual disability on the board/council. VGO Coalition does not receive government funding for advocacy work.
Ukraine European average
The recent resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers clearly declares the intention of the government to make a shift in care from large institutions (100 and more users) to smaller institutions and group homes. Still, it is said that it is the responsibility of the local communities who say they have no money for supported living in the group homes. So, the government has to determine at least minimal financial guarantees from the national level public budget.
Special measures have to be planned focused on persons with intellectual disabilities. We are advocating for the supported employment in the open labour market and shelter employment. The government has promised to support shelter employment financially and is currently developing appropriate sublaws.
| Mainstream education | 2,000 |
|---|---|
| Special education | 10,000 |
| No education | 1,000 |
| Larger institutions | 20,000 |
| Smaller institutions | 100 |
| Small care homes | * |
| Psychiatric hospitals | 1,000 |
These are the reported or estimated numbers of the country. In most cases, in reality, the numbers will be higher as the data is underreported or missing entirely.