Over the last 10 years, Bulgaria has witnessed a number of scandalous examples regarding the bad conditions in social care centres for children without parents, as well as for handicapped ones. Bulgaria’s transition to market economy since 1990, financial hardship, as well as the lack of care for the development of the care centres have affected negatively the living conditions for children. Bulgaria’s current government, however, has set itself the task to close down social care centres and accommodate children in a family kind of centres. It will also aim to develop foster care and back up families at risk, in an attempt to prevent child abandonment. To achieve these goals, the country is entitled to various EU funding programmes.
In February 2010, the government adopted a strategic document called “ Vision for deinstitutionalization of the children in the Republic of Bulgaria”, which envisages a gradual shutdown of the social care centres for children in the 15 years to come. Here is what Valentina Simeonova, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, said for Radio Bulgaria.
“Within the frames of the next 15 years, we envisage shutting down all specialized institutions the way they exist currently in Bulgaria. Our aim is to close down 32 health care centres for children under 3, 25 centres for handicapped ones, as well as 76 centres for children without parental care, which are currently managed by different municipalities in Bulgaria. This is a long-term project, which has been approved by the European Commission. The first project, which we have already launched, aims to close down the centres for handicapped children. These are 24 institutions for mentally challenged children across the country and one centre for children with physical disabilities”, Valentina Simeonova said.
Closing down one single institution is a long process, the State Agency for Protection of Children points out. In the first place, one should take into account the children’s needs and look for the tiniest possibility of returning the children to their biological families. If the latter is impossible, children should be given the best possible conditions in family centres, or small houses, whose conditions create a family-like environment. There they are envisaged to live in small groups of 10-15 children. Another option is foster care but, so far, Bulgarians have remained distanced to it. Still, very few Bulgarian families take such a step, the viable reasons being insufficient information and financial or psychological barriers. “ Boosting foster care is another key element in the social care centres shutdown”, Valentina Simeonova, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, went on to say.
“We have started to inform the public about the essence of foster care, already reaping success in this respect. Jointly with UNICEF, we have opened special information centres. More and more people are showing interest in foster care, and we hope that it will be a good alternative for the children who live in specialized institutions today”, Valentina Simeonova said in conclusion.
The initial stage of closing down social care centres will receive funding from the European Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007-2013 to the tune of some 12.5 million euro. In addition, the programme funds a wide range of social services for children and families at risk. The Operational Programme Regional Development 2007-2013 has also funded the project. Bulgaria will also use financial possibilities under the Rural Development Programme. The government’s end goal is to close down some 130 social care centres for children in the next 15 years. After this period is over, the centre for children deprived of parental care is supposed to disappear entirely from the Bulgarian vocabulary and reality.
English version: Vyara Popova
