They built a lifeline for Ukrainian refugees. Now it is time to pass it on

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered the largest displacement of people in Europe since the Second World War. For the first time, UNICEF established a refugee response office in Slovakia, expanding its operations alongside the existing national committee.

“Our refugee response office started at the end of February 2022,” recalls Octavian Bivol, deputy regional director for UNICEF’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. “We had excellent support from national authorities, especially the Foreign Ministry, which allowed us to quickly scale up the response.”

In the early days, the focus was on urgent needs: health support, immunisation, and the creation of Blue Dots – safe spaces where refugee children and families could access multidisciplinary care. Over time, UNICEF’s work evolved into longer-term cooperation with Slovak ministries, aimed at helping national systems absorb and support the tens of thousands of displaced Ukrainian children.

In this interview with The Slovak Spectator, Bivol reflects on the outcomes of UNICEF’s work with Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia, the winding down of its emergency response programme, and how short-term interventions evolved into more sustainable support integrated into national systems.

What are the most measurable results UNICEF has seen in Slovakia over the past two years? 

Over the past three years of UNICEF’s support in Slovakia, delivered in collaboration with national and local governments, municipalities and NGOs, we’ve been able to reach around 70,000 children with essential primary health care. Approximately 140,000 children have been enrolled in either formal or non-formal education, and about 170,000 have received mental health and psychosocial support. In addition, around 22,000 children and their households have benefited from direct cash assistance.

It’s also important to highlight that today, about two-thirds of Ukrainian children in Slovakia are enrolled in formal education, while one-third remain outside the school system. Many of the programmes we introduced have now been integrated into national structures – for example, expanded kindergarten places or health-care access – which helps ensure that the support continues in the long term. 

Have you had the chance to witness this support first-hand and come into contact with Ukrainian refugees here in Slovakia?

Absolutely. I visited for the first time in September 2023. During that visit, I went to both the municipality of Bratislava and the municipality of Nitra, where I saw a wide range of services – from health centres to kindergartens and schools – and was able to observe the support being provided directly.

You mentioned 2023 – Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine began in 2022?

I started in my current role at the end of June 2023. So very soon after I took up the position, I visited all the countries involved in the response – not only Ukraine itself, but also Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

Is there a specific moment involving Ukrainian refugees – especially children – that has stayed with you, or that you feel captures UNICEF’s work in Slovakia over the past few years?

Yes. I think what struck me most was the resilience of the people from Ukraine. I heard some truly heartbreaking stories – mothers and children fleeing the bombings, undertaking long and difficult journeys.

I also witnessed the emotional impact of the war in some of the mental health centres. You could literally see it reflected in the children’s drawings. On one wall, I saw a series of dark, heavy-coloured drawings from the early days. But then, over time, the pictures became more colourful – a visible sign of the positive change brought about by the support these children received. That really stayed with me.

I also remember visiting a primary health-care centre here in Bratislava in 2023. What impressed me was how the Slovak health system had already started integrating Ukrainian doctors – including paediatricians – into national services. And that’s significant, because I know how conservative health systems can be. They often have rigid standards and procedures. Yet, even then, the Slovak health system made space for these professionals to contribute and care for newly arrived Ukrainian families. That kind of openness really stood out to me.

And I think, in terms of how quickly things were integrated into national systems, that was also impressive. I remember when I visited in September 2023 we had a meeting with the labour minister. At that time, we were discussing the integration of cash assistance programmes into the national social protection system – and that process moved very quickly. 

When it comes to education, how did UNICEF support the integration of Ukrainian children into local schools? 

As I mentioned earlier, the first step was immediate support to create additional spaces in kindergartens for early childhood education. With UNICEF’s help, around 3,500 new places were created across 183 kindergartens throughout the country.

We also worked closely with the Education Ministry and the National Institute for Education and Youth (NIVAM). This collaboration allowed for a more systematic approach to integration. Around 6,000 teachers were trained in inclusive education and dropout prevention, and schools received support for providing mental health and psychosocial services.

UNICEF also helped maintain access to non-formal education through the creation of Play and Learning Hubs in 16 municipalities. These centres gave children a space to learn and socialise outside the traditional classroom, which was especially important for those struggling to enter or stay in formal schooling.

What made this response effective across many municipalities? 

The success came from working on three levels simultaneously. First, at the national level, we supported policy and system changes. Second, we engaged with municipalities, where services were implemented. Third, we partnered with NGOs, who filled critical gaps – especially in mental health – where formal systems lacked capacity. Mental health and psychosocial support was already under-resourced before the war, so scaling it up was essential for children arriving from a conflict zone.

Over time, our focus also shifted to adolescents who had been out of formal education for longer periods, often relying on distance learning. This is a key age when young people need support to complete school, make career decisions, and prepare for adult life.

To address this, we developed the Pathways Initiative – a programme designed to prevent dropouts, offer career guidance, skill-building, and help youth either continue into higher education or access first jobs through internships and employment opportunities. 

Has the Pathways Initiative shown results? 

Recently, we had a review meeting on the first phase of the programme, and we’ve already reached around 11,000 children over the past year and a half.

What’s especially encouraging is that the Slovak government is now exploring how to scale up this model nationwide – not only for Ukrainian adolescents, but also for Slovak youth under the EU Youth Guarantee, supported by the European Social Fund.

Although our emergency response office is closing at the end of this month, we will remain in close contact with the government to support these efforts. Because ultimately, this work is an investment in human capital – one that can benefit both Slovakia and the future recovery of Ukraine.  

So the initiative will end its current form? 

What we’ve discussed with the government is that UNICEF will continue to provide targeted technical expertise. They’re preparing a national programme called Spaces, and they’ve expressed interest in using UNICEF’s technical guidance to shape the methodology. 

Will the Pathways Initiative be replaced by the Spaces programme?

Not replaced – rather, integrated. Pathways was designed to feed into a national structure. So, the methodology and approach developed by UNICEF will now serve as the basis for the Spaces programme. 

And who will fund it?

Until now, UNICEF funded Pathways. But with our office closing, the plan is for national funding, through the Youth Guarantee scheme, to ensure its continuation. Of course, I can’t speak on behalf of the government about exact funding amounts, but this is the direction they are taking. 

So you are not 100 percent sure the government will fund and continue it?

What I can say is that our conversations with the Labour  Ministry were encouraging. They are planning a call for proposals for self-governing regions to access funding, and the methodology we developed with Pathways will be at the core of this national rollout. 

And if you return in a year and nothing has moved forward?

I’m confident we’ll see progress. The level of commitment and interest we’ve seen from the government has been strong, and we’ve worked closely with them throughout this process. Let’s check back in a year – but I truly believe this is moving in the right direction. 

How does the integration of Ukrainian children into schools in Slovakia compare with neighbouring countries?

Generally, enrolment in formal education has been a challenge across the region. In all neighbouring countries, we still see a significant number of Ukrainian children outside the formal school system. However, countries like Poland, Slovakia and others have recently made enrolment compulsory, which is a positive step towards increasing participation.

In Slovakia today, around two-thirds of Ukrainian children are enrolled in formal education, with one-third still outside. That’s roughly in line with other countries – for example, in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Moldova, estimates suggest that between one-third and half of Ukrainian children remain outside the school system.

And what are the main challenges that these countries – including Slovakia – face in integrating Ukrainian children into schools?

One of the biggest challenges is language. In Moldova this is particularly pronounced, but even in Poland and Slovakia many children struggle without sufficient language support. This is especially true for older children, who often choose to remain connected to Ukraine’s online education system rather than joining local schools.

Another key challenge is the limited capacity for psychosocial support and the shortage of teacher assistants, who are essential for helping children adapt to unfamiliar school environments. These support roles were often lacking even before the crisis and have become even more critical now.

In general, younger children tend to integrate more easily, while adolescents face greater barriers – both in terms of language and in reconnecting with formal education after months or even years away from the classroom. Addressing these challenges requires not only education policy changes, but also investments in support services at school and community level. 

Let’s move on to health care, which was also one of the areas UNICEF supported. Very briefly – how did UNICEF help refugees access health care in Slovakia?

In the beginning, the priority was to boost the capacity of health facilities to serve refugee populations. This included support for immunisation and prevention activities. We also assisted in integrating Ukrainian paediatricians into the Slovak health-care system, including help with the recognition of medical diplomas – the so-called diploma notification process. That alone increased the system’s capacity to provide care.

On the prevention side, we also developed digital platforms, such as Bebbo, a parenting support tool that continues to be available in Slovakia and can benefit all parents, not just refugees. Another digital platform focused on mental health was also introduced.

So was the support mainly through services, or more on the digital and outreach side? 

It was a combination of both. On one hand, we provided service-based support through primary health-care centres and clinics. On the other, we introduced digital tools, mainly for prevention and outreach.

One major area of focus was mental health, where Slovakia had one of the most significant shortages in terms of professionals. That’s why we helped to establish community-based mental health services. 

There were 80 community mental health and psychosocial support centres established. 

Were these services integrated into the national support system?

Yes, and that’s something we’re very pleased about. The services were partially integrated into the refugee integration centres through the municipalities. From 2023 onwards, children under 18 – and later adults – were formally granted access to the national healthcare system.

Mental health, however, remains a challenge and will require continued investment – not just for refugees, but also for the wider Slovak population. That’s an area where healthcare and social welfare systems need to continue working together to maintain and develop these community centres.

Would you say you consider UNICEF’s efforts in this area a success?

I would say it’s a success for Slovakia, for the national systems. We’re pleased that the support UNICEF provided – alongside many other partners – has been integrated. That gives us confidence that both refugees and vulnerable groups will continue to receive better care in the long term.

You mentioned Ukrainian paediatricians. Do you have numbers on how many were integrated into the Slovak system?

700 paediatricians participated in various capacity-building activities supported by UNICEF, 55 of whom were integrated into the Slovak health-care system. 

Did you encounter any reluctance from Slovak doctors or institutions to hire Ukrainian health-care professionals or provide care to Ukrainian refugees?  

When I visited health-care facilities about a year and a half ago, I didn’t witness any reluctance personally. From what I’ve heard from colleagues, there were no major challenges in terms of the system being willing to provide care. The real issue was capacity, not attitude.

Again, I want to highlight mental health as the most strained area – that’s where the biggest gap in capacity remains. 

Social protection was also one of the areas covered by the refugee response programme. What should an ordinary Slovak imagine when they hear about UNICEF’s work in this area for Ukrainian refugees?

At the beginning, as in many emergency settings, international organisations – including UNICEF – provided cash support. In total, around €20 million was distributed through the programme in recent years. This funding supported various categories, such as education, winterisation, and assistance for families with children with disabilities.

Altogether, about 25,000 households benefited from this support.

Was this assistance integrated into Slovakia’s national system?

Yes – or at least partially. Over time, UNICEF’s support contributed to integrating some of these benefits into the national social protection system, allowing Ukrainian refugees to access similar types of support.

This brings us to public opinion. Some people have claimed that Ukrainian refugees “just receive money and do nothing”. But you’re saying that this money didn’t even come from the Slovak government, but from UNICEF. Did UNICEF try to correct these public misconceptions?

Absolutely. UNICEF did important work to address the misconceptions around refugee support, especially the idea that refugees were receiving state funds without contributing in return.

There were public awareness campaigns, and a documentary co-produced by UNICEF – The Nest Away from Home – which told the stories of Ukrainian refugees living in Slovakia. The film was broadcast during prime time on national television and screened across the country, even in small towns and villages. Each screening was followed by a discussion, often attended by UNICEF representatives, where these issues were openly addressed.

So this was also about influencing attitudes and building empathy?

Exactly. We focused on the attitudinal component – trying to bridge the information gap around the lived experience of Ukrainian refugees. We worked closely with the media, including your outlet, and many others, to show how refugees have contributed to Slovak society.

We also ran multiple campaigns – on mental health, immunisation, parenting, and one specifically targeting disinformation among youth. While not solely about refugees, it addressed broader attitudes and misinformation, which are key to shaping public perception.

Do you think you succeeded in changing people’s minds?

That’s a very good – and difficult – question. Changing public attitudes takes time. I don’t have hard data. 

But I can share this: for one of our youth-focused campaigns, we reached about 10,000 young people. We did not just track clicks; we monitored how long they stayed and how they engaged with the content. Many read it in depth, which tells us it wasn’t just casual browsing. 

Finally, did UNICEF help shape any policies in Slovakia during these years of the emergency response programme?

Oh, absolutely – in many areas. In the education sector, for instance, the whole inclusive education agenda, developed in partnership with NIVAM is a key example.

In the health sector, particularly in mental health, there was a significant development: an amendment to the National Health Act that incorporated standards UNICEF had helped promote through its work. 

We also contributed to Slovakia’s migration strategy, developed by the Interior Ministry’s Migration Office.

And importantly, at the municipal level, we supported the development of local integration strategies and action plans, which were adopted and approved by city councils across various towns and cities.