Since 2022, KIND staff and partners in Poland have supported unaccompanied and separated children and young people with free, child-friendly legal and psychosocial services—so they can understand their rights, access protection, and feel safe. We work through a dedicated KIND staff attorney, a case manager, and partnerships with the Rule of Law Institute Foundation and ELIL (Poland).
Ayrad's* Path to Safety
Ayrad,* 16, arrived at the Poland–Belarus border alone after fleeing conflict. Misled about asylum procedures and showing signs of trauma, he was at risk of being returned to Belarus. With urgent support from KIND’s attorney, he was recognized as an unaccompanied child, placed in foster care, and guided safely through the asylum process. Today, he is in vocational training. *Name changed to protect identity
We provide free, quality, and child-friendly group sessions for unaccompanied and separated children and youth on their rights and wellbeing.
We provide legal information, counselling, and representation on: international protection and asylum, immigration status and reception conditions, guardianship and age assessment, family reunification, and other protection-related matters
Our attorney can also act as a court-appointed guardian (Kurator).
We provide psychosocial support to help children feel safe and supported, and to connect them with essential services. Through partners, we can refer children to professional psychological help when needed.
Strengthening Systems that Protect Children
KIND works with governmental and nongovernmental agencies to strengthen capacity and advocate for improved policies and procedures through trainings, workshops, expert meetings, and resources.
With pro bono and NGO partners and local actors, including Ukrainian diaspora organizations, we developed a child-friendly information session and a “Know Your Rights” guide for children and youth displaced from Ukraine.
KIND’s team in Poland supports children and youth from all countries, and also contributes to Project Suzir’ya, a regional initiative supporting unaccompanied and separated children displaced from Ukraine in Europe, made possible with support from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.
Related Resources
To get in contact with the KIND team in Poland, or to refer a case, please email polandeu@supportkind.org. Our application form for referring children’s cases in Poland is available here: https://forms.office.com/r/GFbcepXEfi .
