Lumos Foundation USA

Lumos works in very diverse country contexts across 3 continents, with different systems of child protection and childcare and at different stages of child protection and childcare reform. In 2023, programming focused on national care reform systems strengthening, rebuilding child and youth participation and influencing regional and global advocacy. We obtained significant results in the areas of policy enactment through advocacy and capacity building of public authorities and civil society organizations. Working closely with local public authorities, professionals and ngo implementation partners has ensured the delivery of results that have exceeded planned targets.ukraine emergency response: 2023 marked our 10th year of working in ukraine. As the devastating conflict with russia continued, we delivered urgent humanitarian aid to families and communities, influenced care reform at every level and brought organizations together to prioritize child protection.our humanitarian work in 2023 fell into three areas delivering food and education kits directly to children and families, providing technical support and guidance to increase family-based care, and advocating to put child protection at the heart of all of ukraine's recovery plans. In total, we provided emergency supplies including food and education items to 1,915 children from 909 families.our expert teams collaborated closely with ukrainian authorities throughout the year, shaping future plans for childcare reform. We helped to draft a new national strategy on inclusive education for 2023-2030, based on the Lumos draft concept for the transformation of special education and action plan for its implementation until 2026. This will ensure the rights of children with disabilities and special educational needs to access education and to grow in the family environment. This also will be used as the basis for transforming the system of education and development of family-based care system in the country.our teams passed on their knowledge too, delivering training with the ministry of education and science and the ukrainian institute for the modernization of education. The courses focused on creating safe spaces for education during emergencies and have now been approved by the ministry of education to be used as part of postgraduate training for teachers and psychologists.moldova refugee response: about 121,000 ukrainian refugees have remained in moldova after the russian invasion of ukraine. Around 40% are aged under 14, with many at increased risk of being trafficked, exploited or abused. Some have been separated from their parents after arriving in the country or being left at the border by family members who were unable to leave ukraine. Lumos supported moldova authorities to find family care for the ukrainian refugee children temporary left without parental care.throughout 2023, we continued to support refugee children and their families in the ialoveni, floresti, glodeni, and telenesti districts. We supported local public authorities to put children and families' needs first, helping to assess, plan, coordinate, manage and monitor the response to the refugee crisis. Also, very important was to support integration of the ukrainian refugee children in the education system and in communities.we also helped to set up child-friendly spaces and arrange activities to bring together refugee children and people from host communities. And we ran 3 training sessions for 69 frontline professionals on safeguarding, child protection, child trafficking, child labor, exploitation and abuse in emergencies.colombia - childcare system reform: throughout 2023, we worked closely with ministers to move towards a future based on care in families and communities rather than institutions. And we offered support and training to help families to stay together and to help young people speak out. In 2023, we shared the findings of strategic review of colombia's childcare system with directors at the colombian family welfare institute (icbf), as well as with private service care providers. We also organized a number of meetings and workshops to analyze the findings of the strategic review and to develop conclusions and recommendations, which will serve as a bases for the development of national plan for childcare reform in colombia.also, this year, we reached children and caregivers in colombia directly, working through our local partner, michin. 271 children and 178 family caregivers were supported through a range of programs designed to help families stay together, and 36 of these children returned to live with their families following psychosocial support.we also continued to help care professionals in colombia develop their skills and knowledge in 2023. 117 professionals involved in foster care programs and 71 foster mothers from the four regions in colombia joined our workshops on effective care processes. We gave technical support and training to regional authorities and private care providers on the management of foster care services, childcare and psychosocial support to children and foster families.aligned with our commitment to involve and listen to children and young people in the process of transforming care reform, in 2023, we created a child and youth participation network in that brings together 59 children and adolescents who live in residential care institutions or are part of the prevention programs. We build capacity of children on child rights, developed their communication skills and confidence.