Dark-ImmoRtal Posted December 21, 2022 Share Posted December 21, 2022 When war broke out, millions of Ukrainians had to make a life-changing decision to flee their country - with many hoping to return as soon as possible. But for some disabled refugees, this displacement has offered new opportunities, and they now face a dilemma over whether to ever go home. The Kyrychenko family fled Kyiv as missiles rained down. In the space of an hour the parents had packed up their car with three children, a dog and two guinea pigs. Without time to plan a destination, instinct took over and their safety was all that mattered. Nine months later, they are just some of the 1.4m refugees living in small apartments, rooms and shelters across Poland. This means that their eldest son Roman, who has cerebral palsy and learning disabilities, has been given the chance to go to school for the first time. He is 20 years old. "Back in Ukraine we were told he was unteachable, that there was no school for him," his mum Olga says as she makes packed lunches in the family's small kitchen. For many disabled children and young people in Ukraine, access to education is rare. Before the war, fewer than 3% were enrolled in mainstream school. Roman needs support to walk, and communicates through sounds and facial expressions. While he spent most of his life stuck at home, his younger sister, Sofia, was in full-time education. Now, in Poland, they both leave the house for school. "Over the years that he didn't go to school, he lost a lot. And we lost a lot as a family," Olga says. Widespread abuse Back in Ukraine, Olga and her husband Volodymyr have had to fight to keep Roman from a life in an institution or a "psycho-neurological boarding facility". The authorities have spent two decades telling them that their son belongs in one of these places. "They said, 'Give him away, you can always have another one,'" Olga says - the determination on her face making clear that this was never an option. More than 50,000 disabled children and young people exist in this system - a network of more than 700 institutions. They are casualties of a Soviet era that encouraged parents to give their disabled child up to the state in the belief children receive better care in an institution. A BBC News investigation in August uncovered widespread abuse in these establishments and the team were asked to give evidence at the United Nations. Following that, UN experts demanded that the government urgently continue its de-institutionalisation process - returning children to families, increasing community support and closing facilities which abuse and neglect some of the most vulnerable in society. Now in Poland, Roman starts his day with new purpose. Supported by his dad, he navigates the several flights of stairs from their small apartment in the suburbs of Krakow before a taxi takes him to a specialist school a few miles away. There, his face lights up as his music therapy teacher plays the piano for him. She says the aggression he struggled to contain when he first came to the school back in March has left him, he's a "happy kid" who feels at ease and confident in this new environment. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/disability-64000114 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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