A temporary refugee transit centre has been set up at a former Tesco mall in Przemysl, where UNHCR established a Blue Dot Safe Space, Protection and Support Hub with UNICEF and other partners.
Formally known as Children and Family Protection Support Hubs, Blue Dots are safe spaces which provide refugees fleeing Ukraine with critical information and practical support, particularly for the most vulnerable. Located in areas such as border crossing points, reception sites, transport hubs and UNHCR’s cash assistance centres, they offer a wide range of services from experts, including case workers, legal aid providers, mental health specialists and interpreters. Blue Dots also serve the vital function of sharing reliable, updated, and accurate information with new arrivals, including on services, documentation, and family reunification. Where UNHCR engages with the government to establish refugee registration or enrolment and other services across affected countries, linking the Blue Dot to these is critical. Blue Dots can also be linked to other locations, such as child and family service delivery points. Some 37 Blue Dots have been established in Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.
Some services offered at Blue Dots include:
- Identification, rapid assessment, and referral of children at risk and other persons who need support to appropriate services.
- Mental health and psychosocial support.
- Legal aid and counselling.
- Information and advice desks.
- Coordination with the Red Cross/Red Crescent Family Links Network to restore family links.
- Child-and family-friendly spaces, including for breastfeeding.
To give to the Blue Dot appeal and provide essential services to refugees and internally displaced people, click here.
