A team working on the development of accessible and high-quality social services

The public organization "Dnipropetrovsk League of Social Workers" was established on May 11, 2010 by representatives of the social sphere of the Dnipropetrovsk region with the aim of providing professional support to specialists and improving the quality of social services for families with children and vulnerable groups of the population.

From the moment of its foundation until 2017, the organization was in a state of legal readiness: it maintained its institutional form, developed the expert potential of the founders in the field of social policy. This stage allowed for the formation of practical expertise, which later became the basis for the transition to systemic activity. In 2017, the new leadership initiated the first strategic planning, which became the starting point for the active development of the organization.

In 2019, our organization, together with the Ottawa Foundation, conducted a series of trainings for employees of social service centers in the Dnipropetrovsk region who work with internally displaced persons. This was made possible thanks to the Right to Protection Foundation project with the support of NED, and allowed us to strengthen the professional capacity of dozens of specialists who work on the front lines of social support every day.

In 2019-2020, with the support of International Alert, we organized a series of trainings on conflict transformation in communities hosting IDPs. These activities helped social workers better respond to tensions, reduce social risks, and maintain community cohesion.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021), we joined a nationwide project under the auspices of the Ukrainian Network for Children's Rights with the support of UNICEF. As sub-grantees, we assessed the needs of vulnerable families and helped adapt social services to the new challenges caused by quarantine restrictions.

In 2022-2024, the organization became part of a consortium led by the NGO "Ukrainian Network for Children's Rights" within the framework of the project "Together. Social Services" with the support of UNICEF. During this period, children's spaces "Together" were opened - safe environments for psychosocial support of children and parents, the work of mobile teams and systematic support of families were introduced, which made it possible to reach even remote communities.

Together with local governments, the network of social services was expanded: in Novomoskovsk, a day care service for children with disabilities was introduced, in Pavlohrad, its provision was strengthened, in Kryvyi Rih, the direction of social prevention was developed, and in Zaporizhia, the functioning of a shelter for victims of domestic violence was supported. At the same time, the capacity of social service providers was strengthened through systematic training for specialists.

Since July 2023, the organization has been implementing a large-scale project «Social Initiatives for Families with Children at the Community Level in Dnipropetrovsk Region» with the support of UNICEF. The geography of the project has gradually expanded from 10 to 24 communities. Within the framework of the initiative, 23 child-friendly spaces have been created, 5 playgrounds have been equipped in rural areas, integrated social services have been introduced, and comprehensive support for families has been provided.

Services include case management, psychosocial support, parent support groups, speech therapy, psychological and legal consultations, a nanny service for children with disabilities, and referrals to other services. Mobile teams operate in communities to visit families and provide necessary assistance, including humanitarian support.

Also within the project framework, a School of Mental Growth for Adolescents was developed and implemented, and a Day Care Center for Children with Disabilities was opened in Kryvyi Rih. An important stage of development was the creation of the Hub for the Development of Social Services in Dnipro with a branch in Kryvyi Rih – a professional space for training, exchange of experience, support and development of social sphere specialists. In total, more than 250 specialists from communities were involved in the implementation of the projects.

Since November 2025, the organization has been implementing the project "PATH: Protection, Assistance, Unity and Hope" in partnership with the Right to Protection Foundation with the support of the Humanitarian Fund for Ukraine. Its goal is to ensure access to quality speech therapy rehabilitation services for veterans and people with disabilities as a result of the war by setting up an office on the basis of the Dobropil Center for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of People with Disabilities relocated to the city of Dnipro.

In 2026-2027, we will implement the project «Development of a system of child protection and family support in communities of Dnipropetrovsk region» with the support of UNICEF. The project aims to ensure systematic, accessible and inclusive protection of children and their guardians and is implemented using a combined model that combines stationary and mobile services. Child protection hubs, day centers (including in Kryvyi Rih), and spaces friendly to women and girls are being created and supported in 11 communities.

In parallel, mobile teams are operating to reach out to remote communities, reach vulnerable groups, and respond to crisis situations. The project provides comprehensive support, including psychosocial support, case management, services for children with disabilities, GBV response, and assistance to families in crisis situations.

The accumulated experience and results of work have shown that the organization has gone beyond supporting individual initiatives and has become a driver of systemic changes in the social sphere. It not only implements projects, but also forms approaches, trains, researches and supports the development of social services in communities. This is what became the basis for a new stage of development. Since March 6, 2026, the organization has continued its activities under a new name - NGO "Institute for the Development of Social Services" (NGO "IRSP"), which reflects its role as an expert center working on systemic changes in the social sphere of Ukraine.