Guardianship (Сustody) and Trusteeship – Expanding Horizons in the Law of Ukraine

Spasybo-Fatyeyeva Inna

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ORCID ID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9852-1706

Keywords: guardianship, parental guardianship, custody, minor, child, person declared incapacitated by a court, guardianship and custody authority

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Обкладинка. 5-й випуск

Abstract

The study of issues related to family law relations is particularly relevant today for our country, which is moving towards the European legal space. It is important for our country to understand the experience of legal regulation which other European countries have in these matters, so that in the future we can develop our own legislation in a balanced manner. The urgency of the problem is due to the need for a fundamental review of the principles underlying the regulation of guardianship and custody. The main thing that needs to be changed is to correct the approach to defining those legal mechanisms that are intended to establish compensatory levers in cases where a person is unable to fully understand the significance of his or her actions and therefore to take them. This article analyses Ukrainian legislation on guardianship and trusteeship with a view to identifying the essence of these legal institutions, their purpose and the extent to which their regulation in domestic law is in line with the latest approaches, trends and international documents. For this purpose, the author compares Ukrainian legislation with the legislation of some European countries, in particular, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland. Such a comparison proves the need to develop a conceptual approach to understanding guardianship, to introduce its various types, including parental guardianship, to allow for a combination of parental and guardianship, and to allow for a model of different guardians who will perform different functions with respect to wards and their property. The article uses general scientific and special scientific methods of scientific research: systemic and comparative analysis, and dialectical analysis. The article uses general scientific and special scientific methods of scientific research: systemic and comparative analysis, and dialectical method. It is noted that the approach to declaring persons incapacitated and depriving them of all rights needs to be revised. Attention is drawn to the direct link between guardianship and trusteeship and the institute of representation, which should be coordinated. It is emphasised that the shortcomings of Ukrainian legislation should be eliminated as soon as possible, which is dictated not only by the need to bring Ukrainian laws in line with European standards, but also, above all, by the need for humane treatment of people with disabilities.

How to Cite

In accordance with DSTU 8302:2015:
Спасибо-Фатєєва І. Опіка та піклування – розширення горизонтів у праві України. Цивілістична платформа. 2025. № 2 (5). С. 5-21. https://doi.org/10.69724/2786-8834-2025-5-2-5-21

According to the international style of APA:
Spasybo-Fatyeyeva, I. (2025) Guardianship (Сustody) and Trusteeship - Expanding Horizons in the Law of Ukraine. С. P. Journal, 2 (5). https://doi.org/10.69724/2786-8834-2025-5-2-5-21 [in Ukrainian].

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