LOST CHILDREN
What to Do if Your Child is Lost
Children displaced in and outside of Ukraine are at heightened risk of becoming separated from caregivers and family and lost.
It is easy to lose children in large crowds and chaotic environments that may accompany situations of displacement.
Below are tips for parents and caregivers who need to locate their child:
If your child has a disability, share this information with the authority, describe what type of disability. This information will also be helpful when locating a child and knowing how to approach her/him. During emergencies, children with disabilities may lose their assistive devices (glasses, hearing aids, white canes) which may exacerbate their vulnerability and add challenges to navigation in the new place. It is important to inform authorities, requesting for the assistive device which will be suitable for your child.
What to Do if You Find a Lost Child
❌ Don’t assume the child is lost. A parent or caregiver may be close by.
✅ Ask others in the immediate vicinity if they know the child. Ask for the child's name and other family details.
❌ Don’t accept help from any stranger who offers to escort the child to safety.
✅ Keep the child's belongings with the child at all times. These might help authorities trace the child's family.
❌ Don’t share information about the child with anyone else, aside from competent authorities.
✅ Contact a competent authority – such as the police, the local municipality government, border police or the European missing children hotline (if you are in Ukraine or an EU country) at 116 000. Share the child’s information and location, and follow the authority’s instructions.
✅ Explain to the child what will happen next, without promising to find his parents. This could cause the child additional confusion or distress.
✅ Don't leave the child until he/she is safely in the hands of a competent authority.
Questions about Lost Children
Can I shelter a child in Ukraine?
To access a list of additional emergency contacts in Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia, Poland, and Romania, visit the Blue Dot Hub.
- The European Hotline for missing children is available 24/7 at 116 000.
- See the CHILD NOT ALONE chatbot.
