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Publication - Advice and guidance

People arriving from Ukraine - risk and need: public protection guidance

Last updated
23 January 2026 - see all updates
Directorate
Children and Families Directorate
Topic
Children and families, International, Ukraine

Guidance for all practitioners involved in safeguarding of children and adults who are arriving in Scotland from Ukraine to identify and respond to risk and need.

Supporting documents

Initial safeguarding

To support the safety and wellbeing of displaced people from Ukraine, the checks listed below should take place  prior to a person moving into hosted  accommodation. In cases where a person has already arrived and is residing in accommodation with a host, these checks should be carried out as a matter of urgency to ensure the arrangement is safe.

Pre-arrival checks (Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme)

Prospective individual hosts under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme will undergo the following eligibility and suitability checks: 

  • Level 2 with barred list check
  • social work and housing records
  • property visit

The UK government has provided further clarity around the responsibilities of local authorities in relation to conducting accommodation and safeguarding checks for Homes For Ukraine. This can be found here: Council checks: Homes for Ukraine.

Contact

Email: UkraineSafeguarding@gov.scot

First published
13 April 2022
Last updated
23 January 2026 - show all updates

  1. Guide reviewed and various text updates made throughout, including update to Welcome Hub section.

  2. Updated welfare checklist form and information relating to enhanced disclosure checks which are now called Level 2 with barred list checks.

  3. Guide reviewed and various text updates made throughout. Welfare checklist updated.

  4. Updated to reflect changes to UK legislation from 1 October 2024 relating to definitions of sponsor/hosts and unaccompanied minors thank you payments.

  5. Minor amend to remove incorrect link from child welfare page.

  6. Guide reviewed and various text updates made throughout.

  7. Updated to reflect UK Government visa changes.

  8. Added note to explain guide is being reviewed to reflect Home Office visa announcement.

  9. Updated advice to reflect current policy.

  10. Guide reviewed and updated to reflect current policy.

  11. Updated Unaccompanied children and young people.

  12. Updated the unaccompanied children section to cover all aspects, not just Homes for Ukraine.

  13. Added a chapter on processing accompanied children under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Applies to applications already made to the scheme.

  14. Updated Arrival pathways with info about pause in Super Sponsors Scheme

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