Ukraine to Automatically Report School Absences to Police Under New Child-Tracking Rules

Revised Tracking for Preschool and School-Age Children

According to Главком: The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has approved changes to the procedure for tracking preschool and school-age children, which will take effect on February 25, 2026, under Resolution No. 241. This reform aims to strengthen oversight of children who are not receiving an education. Under the new system, information about children not attending school will be automatically forwarded to juvenile police and child protection services.

According to the new rules, a child will be flagged as 'not receiving education' if they are not enrolled in any educational institution or have been absent from school for an extended period without a valid reason. Previously, a school could only assign this status after a child missed 10 consecutive school days. While this 10-day threshold remains, the state's response mechanism has been significantly tightened. What once could take weeks to trigger an official response will now happen almost instantly.

“Once a fact is recorded in the AiKom system, the mechanism of state control is launched,” noted Olena Parfionova.

The system for tracking preschool children operates on a similar principle. Once the 'not receiving education' status is logged in the system, a designated school official is obligated to immediately relay the information to juvenile prevention units of the National Police and child services. This is intended to allow for a faster response in situations where children may be left without proper supervision.

For families residing abroad, there is currently no clear, official list of documents that confirm studying overseas as a 'valid reason' for absence. The Ministry of Education and Science has not provided specific guidance, meaning each school must decide this independently-a situation that creates a risk of misunderstandings, as Olena Parfionova pointed out.

Impact of the Changes on Educational Oversight

These amendments to the child registration procedure in educational institutions are therefore designed to improve the monitoring and safety of children who are not attending school.

These changes reflect the Ukrainian government's efforts to enhance child welfare tracking and security, a priority given the nation's ongoing social challenges. However, the lack of clear documentation guidelines for children studying abroad may lead to confusion and complications for parents and schools. It is crucial for the Ministry of Education and Science to issue timely recommendations to prevent potential disputes in this area.