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Open Call: Enhancing ECD and Community-Based Paediatric Rehabilitation Services (Ukraine)

Deadline: 21-Dec-2025

UNICEF has launched a new opportunity in Ukraine to strengthen sub-national health systems and develop a community-delivered paediatric rehabilitation model. The initiative focuses on Early Childhood Development (ECD), Preventive Child Health Examinations (PCHE), and rehabilitation services for children with developmental delays and disabilities. Selected CSOs will support planning, budgeting, capacity-building and piloting rehabilitation approaches across priority hromadas.

Overview

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has opened a call to support the strengthening of sub-national health systems in Ukraine and develop a scalable, community-delivered paediatric rehabilitation model. The initiative centers on improving Preventive Child Health Examinations (PCHE), reinforcing Early Childhood Development (ECD) services, and enhancing care pathways for children with developmental delays, disabilities and rehabilitation needs.

Key Focus Areas

UNICEF prioritizes three interconnected domains:

  • Health

  • Child Health

  • Health Systems Strengthening

The programme aims to embed universal ECD services within primary healthcare while building a functional, community-driven rehabilitation support system.

Purpose of the Initiative

This opportunity has two strategic goals:

  1. Operationalizing sub-national health system strengthening to improve planning, budgeting, financing and monitoring for Preventive Child Health Examinations within primary care.

  2. Designing and piloting a community-based paediatric rehabilitation model that supports early identification, referral and ongoing rehabilitation for children with developmental challenges.

Priority Locations

The intervention will focus on 40–50 priority hromadas where UNICEF will introduce new methodologies and tools. These will support:

  • Local planning and budgeting

  • Improved monitoring systems

  • Capacity development for local authorities and primary care providers

  • Integration of needs-based planning into routine service delivery targets

How Sub-National Health Strengthening Works

1. Joint Planning and Financing for PCHE

Structured planning will be carried out jointly with hromadas to strengthen prioritization and resource distribution. Key activities include:

  • Estimating target populations for child health services

  • Mapping vulnerable households

  • Assessing human resource needs

  • Reviewing facility-level financial requirements

  • Identifying trained healthcare staff

  • Developing monthly facility and home-visit plans

Each hromada will prepare an Annual PCHE Plan outlining required resources, roles, timelines and measurable service delivery targets.

2. Performance Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring will ensure continuous improvements in PCHE implementation. UNICEF will support:

  • Measurable performance indicators

  • Monitoring dashboards

  • Quarterly review meetings

  • Validation of progress toward service delivery benchmarks

  • Potential introduction of performance-based funding models

Insights from the first year will guide adaptation, scaling and institutionalization of successful methodologies.

Community-Delivered Paediatric Rehabilitation Model

UNICEF will simultaneously support the creation and pilot testing of a comprehensive rehabilitation model through a phased approach:

  1. Inception and consultations

  2. Model design and development

  3. Validation and implementation research

  4. Pilot rollout across selected hromadas

  5. Assessment of feasibility, accessibility, quality and outcomes

  6. Evidence-based recommendations for national scale-up

The model will include:

  • Defined workforce roles and competencies

  • Clear referral pathways

  • Training packages for health providers and community workers

  • Monitoring and reporting tools

  • Operational guidelines for community-level service delivery

Why This Matters

Strengthening sub-national health systems and rehabilitation services is critical for Ukraine due to:

  • Increased child health vulnerabilities linked to conflict

  • Overstretched local health systems

  • Gaps in early developmental screening

  • Limited rehabilitation access for children with disabilities

  • Need for localized, community-driven service models

This initiative supports equity, early intervention and long-term systems resilience.

Who Is Eligible?

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) must:

  • Be registered and operational in accordance with Ukrainian law or international registration standards

  • Demonstrate capacity in health, child protection, disability inclusion or community-based service delivery

  • Undergo the UN Partners Portal validation process

  • Submit a complete Expression of Interest before the deadline

How to Apply

  1. Visit the UN Partners Portal.

  2. Complete the mandatory validation process.

  3. Prepare documentation demonstrating expertise in health systems strengthening, child health or rehabilitation.

  4. Submit the Expression of Interest (EOI) before the official deadline.

  5. Monitor the portal for clarification requests or updates from UNICEF.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting an EOI without finalizing Partner Portal validation

  • Failing to provide evidence of experience in health or child development services

  • Overlooking requirements for planning, monitoring or community engagement

  • Submitting incomplete or non-aligned methodologies

  • Ignoring the need for measurable indicators in the proposed approach

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the main purpose of this UNICEF opportunity?
To strengthen sub-national health systems for Early Childhood Development services and to pilot a community-based paediatric rehabilitation model in Ukraine.

2. Who can apply?
Eligible and validated CSOs registered on the UN Partners Portal.

3. What regions will be covered?
40–50 priority hromadas selected based on need and UNICEF criteria.

4. What services will be strengthened?
PCHE (Preventive Child Health Examinations), ECD services, and paediatric rehabilitation pathways.

5. Does this opportunity include performance-based financing?
Potentially, depending on monitoring outcomes and alignment with existing financing structures.

6. What are CSOs expected to contribute?
Support for planning, capacity building, pilot execution, monitoring and evidence generation.

7. Will the piloted model be expanded nationally?
Yes—successful pilots will inform national recommendations and integration into upcoming sector reforms.

Conclusion

UNICEF’s call for Expressions of Interest represents a major opportunity to strengthen Ukraine’s child health systems and introduce a pioneering community-based paediatric rehabilitation model. By improving planning, financing, service delivery and rehabilitation pathways, this initiative aims to ensure that every child—especially those with developmental delays or disabilities—receives equitable, high-quality care. CSOs with relevant expertise are strongly encouraged to apply and help shape child health services across Ukraine.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.